According to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-warns-of-security-crisis-over-us-seoul-drills-404535">North Korea's </a>state media, the authorities have developed their own Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment to conduct coronavirus tests.

The state-run newspaper said technicians at the State Academy of Sciences have developed the PCR system.

North Korea hasn't reported the exact number of coronavirus infections since the pandemic began even though it sealed its borders and clampdown on travel.

Watch:

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KCNA news agency said that the country has ramped up its battle against the virus with the Delta and Lambda variants spreading rapidly worldwide.

There is also very little information on the country's vaccination campaign as the World Health Organization(WHO) had said Burundi, Eritrea and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-koreas-kim-chides-officials-for-unspecified-pandemic-lapse-394795">North Korea</a> are the only remaining member states yet to start their vaccination campaigns.

North Korea was one of the first countries to close its border as the virus emerged in China with borders sealed in January 2020. Video footage released by KCNA this month had shown health workers carrying out disinfection work in various areas, including stores in Pyongyang to prevent the spread of the virus.

The state media had reported some months ago that Kim Jong Un had sacked several senior officials over&nbsp;a "crucial" coronavirus incident.

Kim had earlier claimed that there was not a single case of the "evil virus".

The North Korean leader Kim had earlier stated that due to "difficulties and hardship caused by the world health crisis prolonged lockdown are no less harsh for us than those in the wartime situation."

According to North Korea's state media, the authorities have developed their own Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment to conduct coronavirus tests. The state-run newspaper said technicians at the State Academy of Sciences have developed the PCR system.

According to North Korea's state media, the authorities have developed their own Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) equipment to conduct coronavirus tests. The state-run newspaper said technicians at the State Academy of Sciences have developed the PCR system. North Korea hasn't reported the exact number of coronavirus infections since the pandemic began even though it sealed its borders and clampdown on travel. Watch: KCNA news agency said that the country has ramped up its battle against the virus with the Delta and Lambda variants spreading rapidly worldwide. There is also very little information on the country's vaccination campaign as the World Health Organization(WHO) had said Burundi, Eritrea and North Korea are the only remaining member states yet to start their vaccination campaigns. North Korea was one of the first countries to close its border as the virus emerged in China with borders sealed in January 2020. Video footage released by KCNA this month had shown health workers carrying out disinfection work in various areas, including stores in Pyongyang to prevent the spread of the virus. The state media had reported some months ago that Kim Jong Un had sacked several senior officials over a "crucial" coronavirus incident. Kim had earlier claimed that there was not a single case of the "evil virus". The North Korean leader Kim had earlier stated that due to "difficulties and hardship caused by the world health crisis prolonged lockdown are no less harsh for us than those in the wartime situation."

North Korea develops PCR equipment for virus tests: Report

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains.

This variant requires a different way to educate the public about the hazard, according to the document "Improving communications around vaccination breakthroughs and vaccine effectiveness."&nbsp;

The document, titled 'Improving communications around vaccine breakthrough and vaccine effectiveness,' stated that the Delta variant necessitated a new approach to help the public understand the threat, including making it clear that unvaccinated people were more than 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated.&nbsp; 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-expand-state-of-emergency-as-covid-19-shadows-olympics-401684">Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics</a>

"The immediate next step for the agency is to acknowledge that the war has changed," it said.

According to the study, recommended preventive actions include making vaccinations mandatory for health care providers in order to protect the vulnerable, as well as a return to universal face mask use.

Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC. Experts also stressed that vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmissions in the country, and majority of the hospitalisations and deaths are unvaccinated people.

Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday.&nbsp; 
 
Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-16-more-cases-of-covid-19-emerge-taking-the-total-number-to-169-401091">Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169</a>

This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019.&nbsp;

According to the Global Times, a new wave of COVID-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality.

All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city.&nbsp;

The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned in an internal paper that the Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by vaccinated people and may even be deadlier than previous coronavirus strains. This variant requires a different way to educate the public about the hazard, according to the document "Improving communications around vaccination breakthroughs and vaccine effectiveness." The document, titled 'Improving communications around vaccine breakthrough and vaccine effectiveness,' stated that the Delta variant necessitated a new approach to help the public understand the threat, including making it clear that unvaccinated people were more than 10 times more likely to become seriously ill or die than those who were vaccinated. Also read | Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics "The immediate next step for the agency is to acknowledge that the war has changed," it said. According to the study, recommended preventive actions include making vaccinations mandatory for health care providers in order to protect the vulnerable, as well as a return to universal face mask use. Vaccinated people were less likely to become infected, according to the CDC. Experts also stressed that vaccinated individuals represent a very small amount of transmissions in the country, and majority of the hospitalisations and deaths are unvaccinated people. Meanwhile, the Delta variant of the COVID-19 virus is causing a sudden surge in cases in China, with 15 cities, including the capital Beijing, reporting clusters of positive cases, according to official media on Friday. Also read | Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169 This is the most widespread domestic contagion since the virus outbreak in Wuhan in December 2019. According to the Global Times, a new wave of COVID-19 cases began at an airport in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province in east China, and has since spread to five other provinces, including the Beijing municipality. All flights have been halted in Nanjing after a number of airport employees tested positive, according to the city. The fast-spreading Delta variant has been recorded in 15 Chinese cities. (With inputs from agencies)

Delta COVID-19 variant can be passed on even by those vaccinated: US top health body

The Olympics host city&nbsp;Tokyo, as well as&nbsp;Thailand&nbsp;and&nbsp;Malaysia, announced a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;infections&nbsp;on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/delta-is-the-fastest-covid-19-variant-and-will-pick-off-the-most-vulnerable-who-393278">Delta&nbsp;variant</a>&nbsp;of the disease.

Cases surged in Sydney as well, where police cordoned off the central business district to prevent a protest against a strict lockdown that will last until the end of August.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-to-expand-state-of-emergency-as-covid-19-shadows-olympics-401684">Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics</a>

Police closed train stations, banned taxis from dropping passengers off downtown and deployed 1,000 officers to set up checkpoints and to disperse groups. The government of New South Wales reported 210 new&nbsp;infections&nbsp;in Sydney and surrounding areas from the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;outbreak.

Tokyo's metropolitan government announced a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of 4,058&nbsp;infections&nbsp;in the past 24 hours, topping 4,000 for the first time. Olympics organisers reported 21 new&nbsp;COVID-19 cases related to the Games, bringing the total to 241 since July 1.

The&nbsp;record&nbsp;comes a day after Japan extended its state of emergency for&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;to the end of August, expanding it to three prefectures near&nbsp;Tokyo&nbsp;and the western prefecture of Osaka in light of the recent spike in&nbsp;infections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tokyo-olympics-16-more-cases-of-covid-19-emerge-taking-the-total-number-to-169-401091">Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169</a>

Olympics organisers said on Saturday they had revoked accreditation of a Games-related person or people for leaving the athletes' village for sightseeing, a violation of measures imposed to hold the Olympics safely amid the pandemic.

The organisers did not disclose how many people had their accreditation revoked, if the person or people involved were athletes, or when the violation took place.

Malaysia, one of the hotspots of the disease, reported 17,786 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a&nbsp;record&nbsp;number of&nbsp;infections.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-to-bar-travel-from-malaysia-thailand-to-curb-deltas-spread-399928">Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta's spread</a>

More than 100 people gathered in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the pandemic and calling on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to quit.

Protesters carried black flags and held up placards that read “Kerajaan Gagal” (failed government) – a hashtag that has been popular on social media for months.

Thailand&nbsp;reported a daily&nbsp;record&nbsp;of 18,912 new coronavirus&nbsp;infections, bringing the country's total accumulated cases to 597,287. The country also reported 178 new deaths, also a daily&nbsp;record, taking total fatalities to 4,857.

The government said the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;accounted for more than 60 per cent of the cases in the country and 80 per cent&nbsp;of the cases in Bangkok.

The&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;is not necessarily more lethal than other&nbsp;variants, but much more transmissible, Supakit Sirilak, the director-general of the Medical Science Department, told Reuters.

China is also battling an outbreak of the&nbsp;Delta&nbsp;variant&nbsp;in the eastern city of Nanjing, traced to airport cleaners who worked on a flight from Russia.

COVID-19&nbsp;infections&nbsp;have increased by 80 per cent&nbsp;over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.

"Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference.

The US&nbsp;Centers for Disease Control said the&nbsp;variant, first detected in India and now dominant across the globe, is as contagious as chickenpox and far more contagious than the common cold or flu. It can be passed on even by vaccinated people, and may cause more serious disease than earlier coronavirus strains.

The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced a record number of COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the disease.

The Olympics host city Tokyo, as well as Thailand and Malaysia, announced a record number of COVID-19 infections on Saturday, mostly driven by the highly transmissible Delta variant of the disease. Cases surged in Sydney as well, where police cordoned off the central business district to prevent a protest against a strict lockdown that will last until the end of August. Also read | Japan to expand state of emergency as COVID-19 shadows Olympics Police closed train stations, banned taxis from dropping passengers off downtown and deployed 1,000 officers to set up checkpoints and to disperse groups. The government of New South Wales reported 210 new infections in Sydney and surrounding areas from the Delta variant outbreak. Tokyo's metropolitan government announced a record number of 4,058 infections in the past 24 hours, topping 4,000 for the first time. Olympics organisers reported 21 new COVID-19 cases related to the Games, bringing the total to 241 since July 1. The record comes a day after Japan extended its state of emergency for Tokyo to the end of August, expanding it to three prefectures near Tokyo and the western prefecture of Osaka in light of the recent spike in infections. Also read | Tokyo Olympics: 16 more cases of COVID-19 emerge taking the total number to 169 Olympics organisers said on Saturday they had revoked accreditation of a Games-related person or people for leaving the athletes' village for sightseeing, a violation of measures imposed to hold the Olympics safely amid the pandemic. The organisers did not disclose how many people had their accreditation revoked, if the person or people involved were athletes, or when the violation took place. Malaysia, one of the hotspots of the disease, reported 17,786 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a record number of infections. Also read | Philippines to bar travel from Malaysia, Thailand to curb Delta's spread More than 100 people gathered in the centre of the capital Kuala Lumpur, expressing dissatisfaction with the government's handling of the pandemic and calling on Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin to quit. Protesters carried black flags and held up placards that read “Kerajaan Gagal” (failed government) – a hashtag that has been popular on social media for months. Thailand reported a daily record of 18,912 new coronavirus infections, bringing the country's total accumulated cases to 597,287. The country also reported 178 new deaths, also a daily record, taking total fatalities to 4,857. The government said the Delta variant accounted for more than 60 per cent of the cases in the country and 80 per cent of the cases in Bangkok. The Delta variant is not necessarily more lethal than other variants, but much more transmissible, Supakit Sirilak, the director-general of the Medical Science Department, told Reuters. China is also battling an outbreak of the Delta variant in the eastern city of Nanjing, traced to airport cleaners who worked on a flight from Russia. COVID-19 infections have increased by 80 per cent over the past four weeks in most regions of the world, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday. "Hard-won gains are in jeopardy or being lost, and health systems in many countries are being overwhelmed," Tedros told a news conference. The US Centers for Disease Control said the variant, first detected in India and now dominant across the globe, is as contagious as chickenpox and far more contagious than the common cold or flu. It can be passed on even by vaccinated people, and may cause more serious disease than earlier coronavirus strains.

Delta variant rampant in Asia; Olympics COVID tally rises to 241