The order comes a day after NK News reported that Pyongyang residents appeared to be stocking up on goods after receiving advanced warning of the coming lockdown.

The new notice said illnesses currently spreading in the capital include the common cold but did not mention COVID-19, reports NK News.

Residents are required to stay in their homes through the end of Sunday and must submit to temperature checks several times per day, the notice said.

However, it is still not clear whether similar lockdowns have been imposed in other cities of the country.

North Korea declared last August that it had completely eradicated COVID-19 from its territory — a claim that experts previously told NK News was a highly implausible achievement.

North Korea's neighbouring nation China has also witnessed a rise in COVID-19 cases in recent months.

The country witnessed the spike after leaving their Zero COVID policy.