▲ This photo captured from the North's Korean Central TV on May 25, 2022, shows workers delivering food to people self-isolating at home due to suspected COVID-19 infection in Pyongyang. (For Use Only in the Republic of Korea. No Redistribution) (Yonhap)

N Korea-coronavirus

N. Korea's first COVID-19 cases traced to Kumgang County: state media

SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korean health authorities have concluded that its first cases of COVID-19 emerged from an area near the inter-Korean border, following an investigation on the transmission route of its virus outbreak, according to state media.

"The investigation results showed that several persons coming from the area of Ipho-ri in Kumgang County in Kangwon Province to the capital city in mid-April were in fever," the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said in an English-language article. "A sharp increase of fever cases was witnessed among their contacts and that a group of fevered persons emerged in the area of Ipho-ri for the first time."

Meanwhile, the country's new suspected COVID-19 cases remained below 5,000 for the second consecutive day, according to state media.

More than 4,570 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the KCNA said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported.

The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.74 million as of 6 p.m. Thursday, of which more than 4.73 million have recovered and at least 8,130 are being treated, it added.

The country's daily fever tally has been on a downward trend after peaking at over 392,920 on May 15.

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