State media stated on Friday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other senior officials had prepared help to be sent to 800 families suffering from a mystery intestinal sickness, as the country also faces its first COVID-19 epidemic.

This week, North Korea disclosed that it was experiencing an "acute enteric epidemic" in addition to a COVID-19 outbreak that has lasted many weeks. The condition was not described in detail; however, enteric refers to the gastrointestinal tract.

The Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) reported that officials in Haeju City and Kangryong County, South Hwanghae province, prepared medicines, foodstuffs, and daily essentials necessary for the treatment of the pandemic and the maintenance of a stable life.

Kim demanded that officials "to fulfil their duty in the work for easing the people's misfortune and sufferings as soon as possible."

On Thursday, an official from South Korea's Unification Ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs stated that Seoul was watching probable cholera or typhoid epidemic.

The province of South Hwanghae is North Korea's most important agricultural sector. The outbreak has generated concerns that it may exacerbate chronic food shortages in the wake of the COVID-19 attack.

North Korea has reported more patients with fever symptoms than verified instances of COVID-19, presumably because of a lack of testing capabilities.

Friday, KCNA reported 23,160 additional fever cases, raising the total number of cases since late April to almost 4.58 million. Seventy-three deaths have been attributed to the pandemic.

The North says that over 99 percent of fever victims have recovered and that the COVID-19 wave shows signs of abating. Still, the World Health Organization doubted Pyongyang's assertions earlier this month, asserting that the situation is deteriorating.