North Korea has clamped down on trade and travel as one of the world’s most reclusive nations isolates itself even further in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus.
The deadly respiratory disease, which first emerged in Wuhan and has spread to nearly 30 countries, has killed more than 800 people in China and infected more than 30,000. At least 150 cases have been confirmed across Liaoning and Jilin, the provinces that share a 1,420km border with North Korea, according to China’s official statistics.
No coronavirus cases have been confirmed in North Korea but analysts are anxious about the potential for an outbreak, warning that the country’s inability to handle a serious health crisis makes it particularly vulnerable. The lockdown, which essentially cuts off North Korea from China, its most important ally and trading partner, also poses a serious threat to the economy of the country, led by Kim Jong Un.