The North Korean Ministry of Public Health has confirmed that more than 81,000 North Koreans contracted Influenza A and that four died from the illness between December and mid-January, an international humanitarian agency said in a report last week.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) issued its report on a local outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) on January 26.

A total of 81,640 individuals were reported to be suffering from Influenza A by the DPRK Vice Minister of Public Health, who “officially confirmed” the news to the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Pyongyang on