The Hermit Kingdom shut its borders in January 2020, long before most of the world realized that the disease was spreading in China. With healthcare already on its knees and a starving population, North Korea was badly placed to cope with any serious outbreak of illness.
For more than two years, it insisted that it had no cases. The first cases were announced last week. The leader of the country warned of great turmoil. It can't test for the virus, so it has reported almost 2 million cases, with 741,000 still being treated and 63 deaths. Mr Kim is due to celebrate his 10th anniversary in power this year. Underlings can not be blamed. When the country was closed off for so long, it left many in dire straits, as ordinary people were already struggling to survive. The leadership failed to use the time to give the vaccine to the population. It has impoverished its people and allowed healthcare to decline while pouring money into a weapons programme, which is the main function of which is to safeguard the regime. Within hours of the Covid outbreak being announced, the country launched another missile test.
Since admitting the outbreak, it has stonewalled offers of help from South Korea and the World Health Organization, although it has accepted basic medical supplies from China. Power is limited and medicine is hard to come by. Medical equipment, generators, fuel and vaccine doses are needed by the country. Humanitarian waivers to sanctions will be needed. The regime must not cause more suffering for the North Koreans.
North Korea is not the only country with a lack of protection. Other countries aren't much better covered. More than 12 billion vaccine doses have gone to richer nations. More than 75% of people in upper- and middle-income countries have received at least two doses. The figure for low-income countries is just 13%. Only 16.7% of Africans have received more than one dose.
There is enough supply. Poorer countries that lack the capacity to carry out mass vaccination at speed were held up by richer countries hogging doses initially. Many of the places where the vaccine drive may face problems will need additional help to ensure that vaccines reach people and that people want them. Treatments for Covid need to be widely available. It is good news that $4.8 billion was committed to vaccine programmes last month. Making progress on a patent waiver is essential, and beyond that, priority is given to broader knowledge-sharing and diversification of supply.
The emergence of new variants could be spurred by the transmission of diseases in North Korea and Eritrea. Even though wealthier countries are better protected, they could still be at risk from new diseases in the future. They should be persuaded to do the right thing by their self-interest and sense of responsibility.
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