MOSCOW, June 2. /TASS/. The North Korean authorities remain in control of the COVID-19 situation in Pyongyang, almost all the coronavirus restrictions introduced after May 12 have been lifted in the capital, a spokesperson for the Russian embassy in North Korea told TASS.

"On May 29, we were allowed to go out to the city to shop at a grocery store near the diplomatic district. We could see that public transport had resumed operations, there were pedestrians on the streets and some shops had reopened. On May 30, the authorities lifted almost all the restrictions introduced after May 12, when a statement had been made about the Omicron coronavirus variant reaching the country," the spokesperson said.

The embassy said earlier that a complete lockdown had actually been introduced in Pyongyang amid a rise in infections.

"We saw that the situation around coronavirus patients and their treatment had been taken under control, at least in Pyongyang, and no longer worried the country’s leadership. However, restrictions remain in force in the country’s provinces," the embassy worker added.

According to the embassy, "North Korea has not filed any requests for the supply of Russian vaccines."

The North Korean authorities reported 96,610 people with fever symptoms in the past 24 hours, the total number of such cases has exceeded 3.8 mln since late April. As many as 3.6 mln patients have recovered. The number of fever-related fatalities earlier reached 70.

North Korea’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on May 12 that the country had detected its first coronavirus cases. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un ordered a nationwide lockdown.