because it was believed they offered safe passage to the afterlife.

-backed COVAX distribution program.The extreme border closures further shocked an economy already damaged by decades of mismanagement and crippling U.

Kim said officials must also formulate steps to ease any public inconveniences and other negative situations that could flare as a result of the boosted anti-pandemic measures.North Korea announced its first coronavirus infection more than two years into the pandemic Thursday as leader Kim Jong Un called for raising COVID-19 preventive measures to maximum levels.Kim said that the single-minded public unity is the most powerful guarantee that can win in this anti-pandemic fight.

The countrys population of 26 million is believed to be mostly unvaccinated.possibly because those have international monitoring requirements.

In this photo provided by the North Korean government.

Experts say a major COVID-19 outbreak would have devastating consequences because of North Koreas poor health care system and could possibly trigger instability when combined with other problems like serious food shortages.Theyre part of an invisible food chain.

ROGERIO FLORENTINO/AFP/Getty There were 2.reaching all the way up to the apex predator

Thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity.The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.