Russia has provided North Korea with 1500 kits designed to provide "rapid" diagnosis of the novel coronavirus, the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement Wednesday, as Pyongyang seeks foreign help in preventing a potential epidemic within its territory.

In a shipment reportedly made on the request of DPRK authorities, the Russian foreign ministry said the country had "transferred 1,500 test systems for rapid laboratory diagnostics of this type of coronavirus to Pyongyang."