Fighting Off Swine Flu With Mugwort Tea & Garlic Juice?

ABC's Joohee Cho reports:

No matter how paranoid North Korea is when it comes to keeping their borders shut, it is now obvious they simply can not stop the H1N1 virus from crossing their borders. They blame South Korea for the flu spreading in their territories, despite the fact that communication and travel between the two Koreas is almost non-existent these days.

This week, the 'rich brother nation' South Korea's president Lee Myung-bak offered to send flu medication to the North. Today, Pyongyang finally accepted the offer of Tamiflu doses that could save the lives of millions of malnourished children.

According to North Korea's official news agency (KCNA), nine cases of swine flu – three in the capital Pyongyang and six in Shinuiju near the Chinese border – have been confirmed. But foreign aid groups in Seoul say that dozens have actually died in the past month.

Today, South Korea's Unification Ministry said the North will receive 500,000 doses of Tamiflu immediately. The World Health Organization also plans to send additional medication. But can the impoverished North Korea really fight the outbreak?

South Koreans seem skeptical. The local media here says that North Koreans already suffer from a weak immune system which only acclerates the spread of the virus. Hospitals operate with scarce resources and medical supplies.

What North Korea can do at best, which their state media has reported, is to announce the early closure of schools for winter break and strengthen customs inspections on the border with China.

Meanwhile, foreigners staying in Pyongyang's hotels are offered local mugwort herbal tea that is supposed to strengthen the immune system, and North Korean waiters and waitresses catering to foreigners are instructed to drink garlic juice every day.