North Korea says new fever cases were flu, not COVID-19

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea says the latest fever cases detected in its border region with China were tested to be influenza, not coronavirus infections as initially feared. The report on Friday by North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency came a day after the North said it locked down unspecified areas in Ryanggang province after four people had fevers that were suspected to be COVID-19. North Korea maintains there have been no confirmed coronavirus cases in the country since Aug. 10, when leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory over the virus, just three months after the country acknowledged an omicron outbreak.