Despite coronavirus wreaking havoc across the world, North Korea is still claiming they've managed to avoid the pandemic entirely.
During the beginning of the pandemic, the country began to severely limit cross-border traffic, banned tourists and has quarantined thousands of people who have shown symptoms.
But according to the Associated Press, North Korea submitted a report to the World Health Organisation claiming it tested 23,121 people for the coronavirus as of April 1 and all results were negative.
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Media outlets with sources inside North Korea have reported accounts of Covid-like symptoms and deaths among soldiers, along with possible outbreaks in the northern cities of Manpo and Chongjin.
They have also said 'domestic travel is now almost entirely prohibited, and borders are more tightly controlled than ever, with the police ordered to unconditionally shoot on sight anybody in border areas'.
With the country heavily restricting communication to the outside world, the true severity of the situation under the rule of leader Kim Jong Un is largely unknown.
We do know, however, that the extreme restrictions implemented in North Korea since the beginning of the pandemic has seen a mass exodus of diplomats and aid workers from the country.
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According to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, there are now only 290 expatriates left in North Korea due to the harsh conditions.
"Not everyone can withstand the unprecedented severity of total restrictions, the acute shortage of necessary goods, including medicines (and) the lack of opportunities to solve health problems," the embassy said in a post to Facebook.
Last September, a missionary who helps people in need inside North Korea told HRW that the situation inside North Korea was dire: "There is barely any food going into the country from China for almost two months now."
They added: "There are so many more beggars, some people died from hunger in the border area and there's no soap, toothpaste, or batteries."
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It comes as North Korea announced this week it would be skipping the Tokyo Olympics to 'protect athletes from the world public health crisis caused by COVID-19'.
However, the country has indicated it will continue to hold its nationwide sports competitions in Pyongyang from April 5 to 15.
Featured Image Credit: PA