A North Korean province already struggling with a prolonged drought and COVID-19 suffered another blow this week as an intestinal disease began to spread, state media reported this week.

The combination of problems threatens to reduce crop yields and contribute to food insecurity in the DPRK, as the Workers’ Party of Korea focused in large part on agricultural issues at its latest plenum last week. Coverage of the plenum indicates that the regime is seeking to show that it is working to improve people’s welfare amid economic difficulties.

The country’s official COVID-19 data