North Korea has put its capital Pyongyang under virtual semi-lockdown in the face of mounting concern that COVID-19 could enter the country.

North Korea's official Rodong Sinmun newspaper reported on Friday that health authorities in Pyongyang had reinforced quarantine checkpoints in critical areas, including subway stations, bus terminals and entry points into the city.

KCNA also reported that passage in and out of Pyongyang had been restricted, with about 40 new quarantine checkpoints being erected in the city.

It appears authorities are strongly clamping down on Pyongyang with a semi-lockdown in order to prevent unrest in the city as concern mounts that COVID-19 has entered the country with the recent return of a defector from South Korea who reportedly displayed symptoms of the virus.

In a separate article, the Rodong Sinmun also reported that authorities are supplying fuel, food and medical supplies to residents in the border city of Gaesong, which was sealed off after the defector returned to the town. In other articles, the paper castigated lax quarantine practices, which it blamed for leaving the door open for the coronavirus.