Several high-ranking North Korean officials have been fired after an unspecified "grave incident" related to COVID-19, local media reports.
According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency, Kim Jong-un had several senior officials replaced after they had "caused a grave incident that poses a huge crisis to the safety of the nation and its people".
The details of the incident or the punishment of the officials was not specified.
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Officially, North Korea has not recorded any cases of COVID-19 but officials doubt the country of approximately 25 million would have been able to completely escape the spread of the virus.
North Korea was one of the first countries to close its border due to COVID-19, banning all foreign tourists on January 23, 2020.
By February, all international flights and railway services were suspended and extensive disinfecting routines were undertaken at all import warehouses.
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Pyongyang has reported a food crisis tied in part to both inclement weather and trade issues.
The agriculture sector is still recovering from storm damage last year, and exports from China tanked by 90 per cent in May from the previous month, according to official statistics from Beijing, though it's unclear why.
Prices of some staple goods are reportedly skyrocketing in Pyongyang.
Experts say rice and fuel prices remain relatively stable but the costs of imported staples such as sugar, soybean oil and flour have gone up.
Residents said non-staple items such as a small packet of black tea can sell for around $70, while a packet of coffee can cost more than $100.
Analysts say Mr Kim and the North Korean regime have tacitly accepted the costs of such an extreme plan to keep COVID-19 at bay because the country's leaders recognise how the virus could overwhelm the health care system.
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North Korean defectors and aid workers who have volunteered in the country say its hospitals and medical facilities often lack proper equipment and medicine.
North Koreans who fled overseas during the 1990s famine shared stories of amputations done without anesthesia or doctors selling medicine to buy food to survive.
North Korea has not yet received any coronavirus vaccines, though it has a longstanding relationship with Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, and is eligible for its COVID-19 vaccine program, Covax.
However, countries with more severe outbreaks are likely being prioritised.
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Officials from US President Joe Biden's administration said last month the White House is open to sharing vaccines with Pyongyang, but it's unclear how receptive Mr Kim's regime would be.
North Korea is, however, somewhat well placed to prevent the virus from penetrating deep within borders because people inside the country do not enjoy the freedom to move around as they please.
Defectors say average North Koreans are not permitted to travel far from home without government approval, meaning there would be fewer opportunities for the virus to spread from city to city.
With additional reporting from CNN
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