North Korea reports another disease outbreak amid Covid-19 wave

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his wife Ri Sol Ju prepare medicines (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service/AP)

North Korea has reported the eruption of another infectious disease in addition to its ongoing Covid-19 outbreak, saying leader Kim Jong Un has donated his private medicines to those stricken with the new disease.

It was unclear how serious the new epidemic is, but some outside observers say North Korea likely aims to burnish Mr Kim’s image as a leader caring about public livelihoods as he needs greater public support to overcome pandemic-related hardships.