North Korea reported four new fever cases in the northeastern province of Ryanggang, its state media said Thursday, just two weeks after the country claimed victory over the coronavirus crisis.

Four fever cases suspected of being infected with "malignant epidemic" occurred in Ryanggang Province on Aug. 23, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

Health authorities immediately locked down the area, urgently mobilized anti-epidemic teams to carry out tests for the suspected cases and have taken measures to find the cause of the fever outbreak, it added.

On Aug. 10, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un declared victory over COVID-19 and ordered the lifting of the country's "maximum emergency anti-epidemic" measures, three months after the nation reported the first confirmed case. (Yonhap)