North Korean state media announced the country’s first COVID-19 outbreak following years of severe measures to keep the pandemic at bay since it began in 2020.

Before the outbreak, KCTV regularly aired programs on the global outbreak and promoted anti-COVID practices, habits and routines. The propaganda included medically-sound advice such as handwashing and surface disinfection to more curious theories that North Koreans could catch the virus through snow or dust particles.

A day after the outbreak was announced, the Rodong Sinmun urged readers “not be swayed or hesitant by temporary difficulties” and to keep working