Here are highlights from today’s press conference at the Ministry of Health (MoH) with the Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Jaafar and Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awang Othman.
The Minister of Health confirms no new COVID-19 cases in Brunei today. The national tally stands at 138.
One more patient has been discharged today, bringing the total recoveries to 124. There are currently 13 active cases being treated at the National Isolation Centre (NIC) in Tutong.
Two patients remain in critical condition, requiring ventilator support. The rest of the patients are in a stable condition.
As of today, 114 individuals are undergoing quarantine according to the Infectious Diseases Act (Chapter 204) and a total of 2,452 have completed the quarantine period and are in good health.
Since the emergence of COVID-19 in early January 2020, a total of 13,149 laboratory tests for COVID-19 have been conducted.
With regard to the cases that have recovered but found to be positive again during follow-up examination, the Minister of Health informed today that there is no new case that has re-tested positive. This brings the total number of such cases as of today to 21 individuals, of which 8 individuals are still undergoing further examination and testing.
The Minister of Health said that the government is still in discussions to consider lifting in phases the current restrictions in place to curb the COVID-19 spread.
Responding to a question from the Borneo Bulletin on the lifting of current restrictions if there are no more active cases in the country, the minister responded by saying that “it cannot be all done at one time and the border (opening) will remain the last thing,” adding that the global coronavirus crisis has to be over first before Brunei decides to lift its border restrictions.
“It is now being discussed in the country. (The curve) has been flat for a while.. so we are discussion on how to lift the restrictions in stages and this will be announced in the due course after discussions with all the relevant ministries,” he added.
File photo of the Kuala Lurah Control Post a day after it was sealed by the government. (PHOTO: RAHWANI ZAHARI)
Closure of mosques, suraus and prayer halls extended
The Minister of Religious Affairs today informed that mosques, suraus and prayer halls will continue to be closed for the seventh week running until May 4 as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Minister of Religious Affairs speaking at the press conference held at Al-‘Afiah Hall of the Ministry of Health today. (PHOTO: Aziz Idris)
In light of the closures, the minister also said that Terawikh prayers will still be carried out at home within family members and informed that Imams or religious teachers can be invited to their prayers at home, provided that they are known to the family.
File photo of the Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan. (PHOTO: BorneoBulletin/File)
