North Korea blames ‘alien things’ for Covid-19 outbreak in country

People touching ‘alien things’ that fell near the border with South Korea led to the Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea, alleges a news report a Pyongyang-backed agency.
KCNA agency, announcing the findings of an investigation, revealed that two residents got infected with coronavirus upon coming in contact with unidentifiable objects near its South Korea border in Ipho-ri.
The North Korean authorities ordered its citizens “to vigilantly deal with alien things coming wind and other climate phenomena and balloons in the areas along the demarcation line and borders,” according to KCNA.
Without invoking South Korea, the authorities warned against balloons bearing humanitarian aid and posters that have been flown across the border North Korean defectors and activs, Reuters reported.
It further reported that an eighteen-year old soldier and a five-year-old kindergartener started showing Covid symptoms after touching unclassified objects in a hill located in the Kumgang region.
However, in response to the claims, South Korean authorities were quick to deny, saying there is “no possibility” of virus transmission through the leaflets. According to them, while North Korea reported its first case in early April, the leaflet drive South Korean activs happened only later that month.
According to the Reuters report, the country marked its first Covid case after a few months of resuming its freight train services with China early in 2020.
The country has been grappling with an overburdened healthcare system, along with a non-exent vaccination drive, exposing its 25 million odd population to risk of infection. Although, according to some reports, it has finally struck a deal with China for importing vaccines.
As on Friday, North Korea reported 4570 fresh daily cases, adding up to a total of 4.74 million patients since last April.