North Korea reported an outbreak of an unidentified intestinal epidemic on Thursday, potentially adding to strains on the isolated country’s healthcare system which is battling an unprecedented COVID-19 wave. Reuters reports that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent medicines to the western port city of Haeju on Wednesday to help patients suffering from the “acute enteric epidemic” as soon as possible, according to the North’s state media KCNA. It did not report the number of people affected or elaborate on what the disease was, but enteric refers to the gastrointestinal tract.
