N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases below 300 for 2nd day: state media

North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases remained below 300 for the second consecutive day, according to its state media Wednesday.

More than 250 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. As of July 5, the death toll had stood at 74, with the fatality rate at 0.002 percent.

The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.77 million as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, of which 99.98 percent had recovered and at least 490 others are being treated, it added.

The North's daily fever tally has been on a downward trend after peaking at over 392,920 on May 15, three days after it announced a coronavirus outbreak.

The KCNA said the North has taken "timely measures" to prove the cause of the outbreak of the fever cases and to eradicate COVID-19.

"The state emergency anti-epidemic headquarters has given a unified and scientific guidance to the overall anti-epidemic front while more firmly consolidating the anti-epidemic walls," the KCNA said in an English-language report.

The KCNA also urged people to stay alert to the possibility of a new virus spreading into the country and immediately report any unusual objects in their regions to the authorities.

Earlier this month, the North claimed its coronavirus outbreak originated from "alien things" found near the inter-Korean border, alluding to balloon-carried materials sent at the time by North Korean defector groups in South Korea, such as anti-Pyongyang leaflets and aid, for ordinary people in need on the other side of the heavily fortified border.

Pyongyang disclosed its first COVID-19 case on May 12 after claiming to be coronavirus-free for over two years and implemented nationwide lockdowns. (Yonhap)