Coverage dated January 24, 2023 to January 25, 2023

North Korea locks down capital over suspected COVID outbreak

Headline from Newsweek

Kim Jong Un's regime could be seeing a rebound in COVID-19 cases after overcoming a first wave last summer.

Newsweek's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Read the reports

Reports & sources

19 articles, oldest first.

Duluth News Tribune
North Korea locks down capital city over 'respiratory illness' (opens Duluth News Tribune)
Published Jan 24, 2023
Duluth News Tribune's feed description
The notice made no mention of COVID-19 though cited an "increase in winter cases of recurrent flu and other respiratory diseases."
CBS News
Report of lockdown suggests North Korea may be quietly grappling with a COVID resurgence (opens CBS News)
Published Jan 24, 2023
CBS News's feed description
A Seoul-based news outlet says residents of the North Korea capital have been ordered to stay at home due to an outbreak of "respiratory illness."
The Guardian
North Korea locks down capital Pyongyang over respiratory illness (opens The Guardian)
Published Jan 24, 2023
The Guardian's feed description
Residents told that rising cases mean they must stay home for five days and do frequent temperature checks
Deutsche Welle
North Korea locks down Pyongyang over 'respiratory illness' – DW (opens Deutsche Welle)
Published Jan 24, 2023
Deutsche Welle's feed description
The reported government notice ordering the five-day lockdown did not mention COVID-19 but said the symptoms of the "respiratory illness" include common cold.
France 24
North Korea locks down capital due to ‘respiratory illness’ outbreak (opens France 24)
Published Jan 24, 2023
France 24's feed description
North Korea has ordered a five-day lockdown in the capital over "respiratory illness", a report said Wednesday, in what appears to be the first citywide restrictions since the country declared victory…
The Week
North Korea imposes 5-day lockdown on capital to fight 'respiratory illness' (opens The Week)
Published Jan 25, 2023
NPR
North Korea is under lockdown to fight the spread of a respiratory disease (opens NPR)
Published Jan 25, 2023
NPR's feed description
Authorities have made no mention of COVID. North Korea claimed victory over the disease by August, but experts remain skeptical of that claim. The lockdown will last from Wednesday until Sunday.
Just the News
North Korea orders capital lockdown over 'respiratory' illness (opens Just the News)
Published Jan 25, 2023
Just the News's feed description
Residents are instructed to check their temperatures four times a day and report the results to a hospital by phone.
New York Times
North Korea Imposes Lockdown on Pyongyang to Fight ‘Recurrent Flu’ (opens New York Times)
Published Jan 25, 2023
New York Times's feed description
A government notice made no mention of Covid-19, but state media said the authorities were taking measures in the capital to “cope with the daily-worsening world health crisis.”
Newsweek
North Korea locks down capital over suspected COVID outbreak (opens Newsweek)
Published Jan 25, 2023
Newsweek's feed description
Kim Jong Un's regime could be seeing a rebound in COVID-19 cases after overcoming a first wave last summer.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.