Coronavirus disruptions could hurt North Korea’s efforts to treat tuberculosis

North Korea watchers warn that the country’s aggressive measures to defend itself against COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, are hobbling efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB) and other infectious diseases Sandwiched between two COVID-19 hot spots—China and South Korea—North Korea at the end of January suspended international flights and severed its rail link with China Since then, cargo containers headed to North Korea’s port in Nampo have stalled in Dalian, China, snagged on red tape in China and new quarantine procedures in Nampo The only way in and out of North Korea now is a road crossing on its northern border with China North Korea’s state media has said the border restrictions will remain in effect until COVID-19 has stopped spreading or a vaccine is available That puts North Korea’s thousands of TB patients in a precarious situation Three containers with first-line TB drugs are among hundreds held up in Dalian, says a U S -based humanitarian organization official, who requested anonymity The official notes that North Korea’s supply of first-line TB drugs is expected to run out in May or June The situation is even more perilous for North Koreans infected with multidrug-resistant TB strains Treatment lapses can lead to even more recalcitrant strains “Truly it opens grave concern” about the development of extensively drug-resistant TB in North Korea, the official says Related