180 North Korean soldiers die from coronavirus

North Korea has allegedly lost 180 soldiers to the fast-spreading coronavirus (COVID-19), with thousands in quarantine as the illness infects thousands across the region.

North Korea’s military reported on March 6 that the military’s medical corps had sent a report detailing the impact of COVID-19 on the country’s soldiers to military leaders according to a Daily NK insider.

The shocking report said that 180 soldiers had died in January and February and that approximately 3,700 soldiers are currently under quarantine.

The soldiers who had died were stationed on or around the country's border with China in North Pyongan, Chagang, Ryanggang, and North Hamgyong provinces.

The military’s leadership had ordered military hospitals to collect data on the number of soldiers who had died after suffering from high fevers stemming from pneumonia, tuberculosis, asthma or colds and how many are in quarantine.

The global death toll from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) which was first identified in the Chinese city of Wuhan late last year has risen to 4,027 and the number of people infected with the fast-spreading virus now stands at 114,442 worldwide.

The lethal virus has already spread to 115 countries and territories across the world.

Around 64,081 coronavirus infected people have so far recovered after receiving treatment suggested for the virus and been discharged from hospitals.

Dhaka/AI