BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Oct 2 (NNN-ANN) – The Brunei government, yesterday announced the introduction of more control measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, including a curfew and more enforcement activities.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the current control measures will be extended for 14 days, starting from Oct 4 to Oct 17, 2021.
Before detecting seven local cases on Aug 7 this year, Brunei had kept a record of 457 days without community infections. Facing a new wave of outbreak, the country introduced the strictest control measures ever.
Besides closing religious places, schools switching to online learning, no dine-in for restaurants, and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centres and cinemas, Brunei also banned most mass gatherings, requiring all non-essential sector workers to do work-from-home and barring all residents from leaving their houses without any important reason.
The PMO statement said that, during the next two weeks, several additional control measures will also be implemented.
Enforcement agencies will step up surveillance and enforcement activities, so that the public continues to cooperate and comply with the government’s restriction guidelines.
The public is required to stay at their respective residences every night, from 8:00 until 4:00 am the next day, to reduce people’s movement and the risk of local transmission.
In addition to current control efforts, cooperation from local community chiefs and village heads is required, to jointly monitor residents and make sure all people continue to comply with instructions to control the spread, including practicing their respective social responsibilities with physical distancing and no more public gatherings.
The PMO statement said, over the next few weeks, the government will ramp up efforts to ensure 80 percent of the population will complete two doses of COVID-19 vaccine injection, before the end of 2021.
“This is a huge effort, given the initial target date for reaching 80 percent vaccination coverage is Mar, 2022,” the PMO said.
The PMO stressed, it will take phases to bring Brunei out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Brunei can only achieve this with the support and cooperation from the public.
As of yesterday, Brunei reported 7,326 total confirmed COVID-19 cases. There are currently 2,233 active cases being treated and at the National Isolation Centre.
A total of 5,043 recovered patients and 50 deaths have been reported, so far, in the country.– NNN-ANN
