North Korea reported an outbreak of an unidentified intestinal epidemic in a farming region on Thursday, putting further strain on the isolated country as it battles chronic food shortages and a wave of Covid-19 infections.

Leader Kim Jong Un sent medicines to the western port city of Haeju on Wednesday to help patients suffering from the “acute enteric epidemic”, state news agency KCNA said, without giving the number affected, or identifying the disease.

The term enteric refers to the gastrointestinal tract.

“(Kim) stressed the need to contain the epidemic at the earliest date possible by taking a well-knit measure to quarantine the suspected cases to thoroughly curb its spread, confirming cases through epidemiological examination and scientific tests,” KCNA said.

An official at South Korea’s Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said the government is monitoring the outbreak, suspected to be cholera or typhoid.

The reported outbreak comes as the North tackles its first outbreak of Covid-19 infections. It declared a state of emergency last month, amid concerns over a lack of vaccines and medical supplies.