Kim Jong-un has berated top officials over lapses which caused an unspecified "great crisis" related to Covid-19, North Korean state media report.

It was a rare sign of the pandemic's severity in North Korea, which previously insisted it had no Covid cases - a claim doubted by experts.

The country has closed its borders to keep out the virus.

But coupled with international sanctions, this has led to food shortages and a worsening economy.

Mr Kim previously admitted there was a "tense" food situation and told citizens to prepare for the "worst-ever" outcome, invoking comparisons to the country's deadly 1990s famine.

Earlier this week, state television aired a rare remark by a citizen commenting on Mr Kim's "emaciated" look after he appeared to have lost some weight.

What did Kim Jong-un say?

In remarks reported by state news outlet KCNA, Mr Kim accused senior officials of negligence at a specially convened meeting of party leaders.

As a result, they "caused a crucial case of creating a great crisis in ensuring the security of the state and safety of the people and entailed grave consequences".

The report then added that several members of the party had been recalled - including one member from the powerful Standing Committee - which is composed of five members, including Mr Kim himself.

However, the report did not give any further details on the incident or identify the officials.