• North Korea may be preparing to declare victory against the COVID-19 virus.
• State media reports 18% of the nation has had symptoms, but less than 100 people have died.
• Experts say the numbers are likely propaganda for the leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea may claim a victory against COVID-19; a month ago after vehemently denying any cases for more than two years; they may already be preparing to declare success.

According to state media, North Korea has avoided the mass deaths that many predicted in a country; with one of the poorest health-care systems in the world; little or no access to vaccines, and a long history of neglecting its people’s suffering.

Experts say North Korea’s official virus numbers are more about propaganda to support leader Kim Jong Un; than a true picture of what’s going on in the country; and there is widespread scepticism about their authenticity.

Read More: Covid-19 ‘getting worse, not better’ in North Korea

The regular updates from state media, on the other hand; make it seem likely that the country will utterly vanquish a virus that has killed over 6 million people worldwide. According to the official figure, instances are declining; and while 18% of the country’s 26 million people have apparently experienced symptoms; that outsiders firmly assume are caused by COVID-19; fewer than 100 people have died.

Read More: Kim claims that a virus is causing “great turmoil”