May 12

North Korea's state-run news agency says the country is entering a stage of "maximum emergency" after detecting its first case of the coronavirus.

The Korean Central News Agency reported on Thursday that the country's first case of the Omicron variant had been confirmed on Sunday in the capital Pyongyang.

The news agency said implementation of the maximum emergency virus control system was decided at a meeting of the ruling party's Political Bureau, with leader Kim Jong Un in attendance.

This is the first time North Korea has officially recognized a COVID-19 infection in the country.

NHK