On the 9th, the North Korean Labor News reported that in order to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of the National Day, State Councilor Kim Jong-un stepped onto the rostrum, and the children of the Youth League held Chairman Kim’s arm to express their welcome.
On September 9, North Korea held a military parade at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the 73rd anniversary of its founding. At that time, the leader of the country, Kim Jong Un, appeared in a gray suit. However, some sources disclosed that although North Korea still insists that COVID-19 has been diagnosed so far, there was a mass infection during the military parade that day. A total of 16 students from the Civil Defense University between 30 and 40 had a high fever and vomiting. Symptoms such as dyspnea and dyspnea, suspected of being infected with COVID-19, were taken to the hospital by ambulance on the 12th for treatment.
According to Korean media quoting sources in Pyongyang, on the 9th, 16 students from 30 to 40 years old at the Civil Defense University participated in the military parade for the 73rd anniversary of the founding of the government, and they began to show symptoms similar to COVID-19. These include high fever, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. In fact, it can be seen from the photos released by the North Korean authorities that almost no mask was worn on the day of the military parade.
North Korea’s Civil Defense University is different from ordinary universities. Most of its students are married people over 30 years old. This university is located in the Longseong area on the outskirts of Pyongyang. It is mainly an educational institution for training paramilitary organizations and civilian defense commanders. It is reported that the students who were sent to the hospital for treatment had developed low-grade fever before the military parade was held in early September. However, the school believes that it was because the students were previously required to conduct a rehearsal parade in heavy rain. People who had a cold, so they didn't report the incident to the parade headquarters.
Afterwards, the school asked the students with the "cold" to continue participating in the military parade after taking the medicine. However, the symptoms of these students continued to deteriorate. In the end, they had to report the matter to the Central Emergency Prevention Committee. After the committee received the notification, it immediately dispatched it. The ambulances of the First and Second Hospitals took the patients in protective clothing to Anju, Ping An South Province, for treatment.
The Emergency Anti-epidemic Committee subsequently completely sealed off private defense universities, and required all students, including those who did not participate in the military parade, to be quarantined in the dormitory for 15 days. At the same time, they also sent anti-epidemic officials to the school to carry out clean-up operations.
When the news of the group infection came back to the central government, it immediately aroused the anger of the Central Committee of the Labor Party, because at that time, in order to prevent the group infection from occurring during the military parade, it had already strictly required all people present to take body temperature and other anti-epidemic measures. How could it be known that it was still an outbreak? Group infection.
According to sources, the Pyongyang government strictly requires masks to be worn during rehearsals, and the body temperature is taken 5 times a day to ensure that there are no abnormal symptoms. However, during the rehearsal, people with abnormal health often appeared, so that related personnel were frequently replaced.
Especially when State Councilor Kim Jong Un was on the rostrum, members of the Youth League presented a wreath to Kim Jong Un and held Kim Jong Un’s arm for close contact. However, these youth league members have adopted strict management. They also checked their body temperature and other tests at any time 5 minutes before the start of the activity, and disinfected their opponents and oral cavity.
The Headquarters of the Labor Party believes that group infection will become a major stain in the military parade. As a result, five anti-epidemic staff members of the Central Emergency Prevention Committee were dismissed from their posts and even their salaries were confiscated.