North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has reportedly reprimanded officials for failing to supply medicine in a timely manner amid an explosive spread of the COVID-19 across the country.

According to the North's official Korean Central News Agency(KCNA) on Monday, Kim issued the criticism during an emergency politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party on Sunday.

Presiding over the meeting, Kim reportedly said the politburo had ordered the swift distribution of its national medicine reserves, but the drugs are not reaching people in a timely and accurate manner through pharmacies.

The KCNA said Kim criticized the irresponsible work attitude and negligence demonstrated by the head of the central public prosecutors' office.

Kim then ordered the deployment of the army's medical corps to immediately stabilize the supply of medicines in Pyongyang.

According to the North's state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters, the country reported eight new deaths and nearly 393-thousand more people with fever symptoms from 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday. The death toll rose to 50.