A North Korean defector shot by a Chinese border guard has tested positive for COVID-19, Daily NK has reported.

The man was trying to cross the Tumen River into China when he was shot and wounded by the border guard.

He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he tested positive for coronavirus.

The Tumen River separates North Korea from China and Russia. (AP)

The defector is now in quarantine and all visitors have been blocked from the hospital.

North Korea continues to insist that it has not had any cases of coronavirus in the country, and told a World Health Organisation representative that it had conducted 740 COVID-19 tests, and all had come back negative.

The country has banned foreign tourists and shut down nearly all cross-border traffic with China.

Foreigners were placed into quarantine, but all have now been released.

A man in Pyongyang, North Korea, gets his temperature checked as part of a coronavirus control measure. (AP)

"Since the borders, airspace, waters and the areas along the Military Demarcation Line have completely been blocked, strict steps are being taken to ensure that there is no inflow route of the epidemic," the Pyongyang Times reported on Monday.

"Hygiene information activities and medical observation keep growing in all parts of the country for residents while releasing those who have been under medical observation according to the anti-epidemic rules."

The country enacted emergency measures to deal with the potential spread of coronavirus as far back as January 30.

People visit the Mansu Hill to lay flowers to the bronze statues of late leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il on the occasion of the 108th birth anniversary of Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, North Korea Wednesday, April 15, 2020 (AP)

North Korea is the most reclusive country in the world, and it is very difficult for outsiders to gain insight into what is going on within its borders.

But there have been reports of widespread infections of COVID-19.

In early March, Daily NK reported that as many as 180 soldiers in North Korea had died from the disease.

North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un remains unseen for more than a week , amid reports he is in a grave condition.

In this Monday, March 2, 2020, photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspects a military drill at undisclosed location in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Centr (AP/AAP)

Kim is reported to have undergone cardiovascular surgery.