North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has expressed dissatisfaction that medical supplies are not being delivered swiftly enough as more than one million people have developed what the regime refers to as a fever in recent weeks.

State-run Korean Central Television on Monday broadcasted footage of Kim attending a meeting of the politburo of the ruling Workers' Party that was convened for two days in a row.

Kim criticized the Cabinet and health authorities for the slow distribution of medicines, and ordered the mobilization of the military's medical corps.

North Korea announced its first coronavirus cases last Thursday.

Health authorities say just over 1.21 million people have been confirmed to have had a fever since late April in a country with a population of roughly 26 million. They say 50 people have died.

Analysts say North Korea has to announce the coronavirus infection situation by the number of patients with fever symptoms because its medical system is poor and test kits are in short supply.

The ruling party newspaper is promoting home remedies to treat fever, such as drinking willow leaf tea three times a day and gargling with salt water.

State-run TV is airing interviews with people who say they recovered from fever after taking medicine and gargling with salt water.

The state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters has warned that people have lost their lives due to drug overdose because they did not know the proper treatment.

The North Korean leadership has ordered strict lockdown measures similar to those implemented in China to contain the spread of infection.

But concerns are growing that the virus will continue to spread because North Korea has rejected previous offers of vaccines from the international community.