North Korea called for more strict and thorough countermeasures to ensure the safety of its citizens from the fast spreading coronavirus pandemic at a political bureau meeting of the ruling party’s central committee, according to Reuters.

The Korean Central News Agency said the widespread virus has created obstacles to the country’s effort in its economic construction, though added the country “has been maintaining [a] very stable anti-epidemic situation” thanks to its “strict emergency anti-epidemic measures [...] consistency and compulsoriness in the nationwide protective measures".