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North Korea faces infectious disease outbreak amid COVID-19 battle

The US news reported, citing Reuters, North Korea reported an outbreak of an unidentified intestinal epidemic in a farming region on Thursday (June 16), putting further strain on the isolated country as it battles chronic food shortages and an unprecedented wave of COVID-19 infections.
Leader Kim Jong Un sent medicines to the western port city of Haeju on Wednesday (June 15) to help patients suffering from the "acute enteric epidemic", state news agency KCNA said, without giving the number affected, or identifying the disease.
The term enteric refers to the gastrointestinal tract.
KCNA said: "(Kim) stressed the need to contain the epidemic at the earliest date possible by taking a well-knit measure to quarantine the suspected cases to thoroughly curb its spread, confirming cases through epidemiological examination and scientific tests.”

The reported outbreak comes as the North tackles its first outbreak of COVID-19 infections. It declared a state of emergency last month, amid concerns over a lack of vaccines and medical supplies.
South Korea's spy agency earlier told lawmakers that waterborne diseases, such as typhoid, were already widespread in the country before it announced the coronavirus outbreak.
North Korea stockpiled Chinese masks and vaccines before reporting COVID-19 outbreak
Professor Shin Young-jeon at Hanyang University's College of Medicine in Seoul said: "Intestinal diseases such as typhoid and shigellosis are not particularly new in North Korea but what's troubling is that it comes at a time when the country is already struggling from COVID-19.”
South Korea is willing to cooperate with the North to tackle the disease outbreak, but Pyongyang remains unresponsive to any offers for dialogue, including Seoul's earlier proposal to provide COVID vaccines, said an official at South Korea's unification ministry handling inter-Korean affairs, who declined to be named.
Adding to the woes, South Hwanghae Province where Haeju city is located, is North Korea's key agricultural region, raising concerns over possible impact on the country's already dire food situation caused by a drought.
North Korea reports over 232,000 new 'fever' cases in suspected COVID outbreak
While the possibility of the unspecified disease spreading through crops appear rather low, the key will be disinfecting water supply sources as it's likely to be waterborne, said Eom Joong-sik, an infectious disease expert at Gachon University Gil Medical Center.
Pyongyang has been daily announcing the number of fever patients without specifying them as COVID patients, apparently due to a lack of testing kits. Experts also suspect underreporting in the figures released through government-controlled media.
North Korea reported 26,010 more people with fever symptoms on Thursday, with the total number of fever patients recorded across the country since late April nearing 4.56 million. The death toll linked to the outbreak is at 73.
North Korea reports 6 deaths after announcing COVID-19 outbreak
The North has said the COVID wave has shown signs of subsiding, but the World Health Organization cast doubts on Pyongyang's claims earlier this month, saying it believes the situation is getting worse.
Source: usnews
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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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