North Korea, which confirmed its first COVID-19 case last week, has reported 15 additional deaths and more than 290-thousand new fever cases.

According to the North’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Sunday, the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters reported 15 new deaths and 296-thousand-180 more people with fever symptoms from Friday evening to 6 p.m. Saturday.

The headquarters did not specify how many of the deaths and fever cases were confirmed as COVID-19 infections.

The KCNA said the new figures raised the total number of deaths to 42 and fever cases to 820-thousand-620 since late April. It added that more than 496-thousand of them have recovered and 324-thousand-550 are receiving treatment.

The report also said that all provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down, and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12. Moreover, the report added that strict and intensive examinations of all people are underway.

The state epidemic office blamed most of the deaths on people’s carelessness in taking drugs, and lack of knowledge and understanding of the stealth omicron variant.