PYONGYANG, March 4. /TASS/. North Korea’s Foreign Ministry informed foreign diplomats that coronavirus quarantine measures were partially eased and some shops reopened in Pyongyang, the Russian embassy in the republic wrote on its Facebook page on Wednesday.

In its note, the protocol department of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’s Foreign Ministry said that "since March 2 when the quarantine ended, besides the network catering for foreigners in the diplomatic quarter, which includes the Pyongyang department store, the Taedonggang diplomatic club and the Rakwon and Taesong department stores will be also open for us," the embassy said.

According to the embassy, on Tuesday after a month-long isolation, during which Russian diplomats and their family members were banned from leaving the diplomatic mission’s premises, they were examined by doctors at the Pyongyang Friendship Hospital and received certificates enabling them to enter the city.

"The Russian diplomats continue working with their colleagues from the North Korean Foreign Ministry on expanding the list of city facilities allowed for visits: an Orthodox church, car repair shops and utility services," the Russian embassy said.

Since early February, North Korea’s authorities have suspended international flights and passenger train services to China and Russia as a measure to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. The foreigners were not allowed to enter or leave the republic. The Foreign Ministry recommended foreign missions not to leave the embassies and Pyongyang’s diplomatic quarter.

A pneumonia outbreak caused by the COVID-19 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV) was reported in China’s Wuhan, a large trade and industrial center with a population of 12 million, in late December. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the new coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, describing it as an epidemic with multiple locations. Besides China, major coronavirus outbreaks have been reported in South Korea, Iran and Italy. More than 80 countries and territories, including Russia, have reported confirmed coronavirus cases.

In China, which accounts for the majority of the novel coronavirus cases, the death toll is nearing 3,000, while almost 80,000 people have been infected and another 50,000 have recovered. According to the WHO, the number of coronavirus sufferers outside China has exceeded 10,500 and more than 160 have died.