Nearly six months after North Korea closed its borders in January, state media still claims that there are no cases of COVID-19 in the country. But fewer than 1000 people have been tested for the virus nationwide, so the absence of positive results says very little about how the virus could be affecting North Korea’s 26 million citizens.

Though the prompt closure of the border likely saved thousands of lives – the DPRK was the first country to stop people from traveling – actions taken in wake of the outbreak raise serious questions about whether the country is truly virus-free