Pyongyang introduces five-day quarantine over rising cases of 'respiratory ilness'

North Korea has ordered a five-day lockdown of the capital Pyongyang amid rising cases of an unspecified respiratory illness, according to NK News.

Citing a government announcement, the Seoul-based outlet, which reports on North Korea, said residents were required to stay in their homes until the end of Sunday and submit to multiple temperature checks every day.

The notice did not mention COVID-19 directly, but North Korea did not do so during its first outbreak last year when it spoke only of “fever” cases.

North Korea acknowledged its first COVID-19 outbreak last year, but with limited testing abilities, did not confirm the number of people who had contracted the virus. It declared “victory” over the outbreak in August.

State media has continued to report on anti-pandemic measures to battle respiratory diseases, including the flu, but has yet to report the lockdown order.