UN Human Rights Office spokeswoman Liz Throssell warned of the “serious implications” of the measures taken by the North Korean authorities to contain the Corona virus outbreak, explaining that “recent restrictions that include placing people in isolation Strict measures and further travel restrictions will have dire consequences for those already struggling to meet their basic needs.”

She urged the North Korean authorities to ensure that “all measures taken in response to the epidemic are necessary, proportionate, non-discriminatory and strictly in accordance with international human rights law.” “The authorities should assess the impact of any measures on risk groups, taking into account the experience of other countries in the world in effectively responding to the epidemic,” she stressed.

Earlier, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that North Korea has recorded 56 deaths and about 1.5 million cases of “fever” since the country announced its first case of coronavirus a week ago. Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered a nationwide lockdown to slow the spread of the virus to the country’s non-immune population.