Welcome to our COVID-19 live blog for the month of April, where we’ll post news as it happens. If you’re searching for previous updates, please visit our archived March live blog.
For all coronavirus-related coverage, including charts and infographics, head to our COVID-19 hub.
Gov’t uses tracking bracelets to catch quarantine breakers; 11 days without new cases reported
4.13pm | April 30, 2020
Tracking bracelets named iMSafe have been issued to those who were ordered to undergo quarantine, alerting authorities when the device is taken off or if wearers break their COVID-19 quarantine.
The health ministry said the iMSafe wristband enables authorities to remotely monitor and locate people who are placed under quarantine in real-time.
Equipped with a Bluetooth chip locator and a customised QR code, the bracelet requires wearers to turn on their Bluetooth device on an Android mobile phone before it can be activated.
The iMSafe system features a dashboard that displays the names and whereabouts of those under quarantine and provides authorities with a status report on the wearers.
There are currently 66 people serving quarantine orders.
Anyone who is found guilty of breaking their quarantine can be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for a term not exceeding six months under the Infectious Diseases Act.
The health ministry earlier this month started distributing tracking wristbands to recovered coronavirus patients who are required to complete another 14 days of quarantine.
Brunei reported zero new COVID-19 infections for the 11th day on Thursday, health minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said in a press briefing.
Thirteen people are still being treated at the National Isolation Centre while six relapse cases remain under observation after one readmitted patient was discharged in the last 24 hours.
When asked for an update on the investigation of the coronavirus-infected Malaysian who visited Brunei, the minister said two of his contacts in Brunei tested negative for the virus.
He was also reported to have stayed overnight in Miri, apart from spending time in Brunei.
“If he has infected anyone in Brunei, we should already be seeing cases now,” the minister added.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeMoH investigates how Malaysian contracted COVID-19 after visiting Brunei; no new cases recorded for 10 days
4.19pm | April 29, 2020
Brunei health authorities are investigating whether a coronavirus-infected Malaysian contracted the disease during his recent visit to the sultanate or after his return to Limbang.
The health ministry has begun tracing the Malaysian man’s close contacts in Brunei following reports that he tested positive for COVID-19 on the 10th day of his quarantine in Limbang.
During the daily press briefing, Health Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said one of the Malaysian’s close contacts in Brunei has tested negative for the coronavirus.
He said Sarawak health officials have provided information on the patient but further investigations need to be conducted on whether he came into contact with others in Brunei.
Anyone who has information about the case are advised to contact the Health Advice Line 148.
No new coronavirus infections were confirmed on Wednesday, the 10th consecutive day Brunei reported zero new cases.
The minister said one more recovered patient retested positive for the second time on Wednesday, taking the total number of relapse cases to 22 in the country.
One relapsed patient was discharged from the National Isolation Centre in the past 24 hours.
A total of 13,428 COVID-19 tests have been administered, including 4,310 random tests on foreign workers and those who sought treatment at government health centres.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeMoHA allows food truck vendors to do drive-through business around National Stadium area
6.36pm | April 28, 2020
Only food truck vendors that provide drive-through pickup services will be permitted to operate their businesses around the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium area during Ramadan, the home affairs minister announced.
YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Abu Bakar Hj Apong on Tuesday said the the drive-through service, which begins on May 1, is an alternative way for food vendors to generate a source of income following the cancellation of Gerai Ramadan due to COVID-19 this year.
He said the drive-through service is an addition to the government’s e-commerce initiative as not all vendors are well-versed in using online platforms to do business.
Members of the public who wish to buy from the food truck vendors must make pre-orders first before they can collect their products via the drive-through service.
The government will also extend the drive-through service to public housing areas where there are vendors operating food stalls as long as they comply with safety guidelines, the minister added.
Anyone who is interested in conducting their business using the drive-through service can contact the Youth and Sports Department at 2381903/4/5 ext 1329 / 1311 (during office hours) or 8762007 (non-working hours), district offices and Municipal Department for more information.
Discussions underway to reopen schools as Brunei reports zero new cases for ninth straight day
4.35pm | April 28, 2020
The government has started discussions on the reopening of schools after seven weeks of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the health minister said on Tuesday.
Primary, secondary schools and sixth form centres have been shut since the education ministry brought forward the school holidays to March 11, with classes moved online on March 30 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Education minister YB Dato Seri Setia Hj Hamzah Hj Sulaiman earlier this month said the second school term will resume on June 2 depending on the COVID-19 situation in Brunei.
In his daily press briefing, YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said two major factors need to be considered before Brunei can start easing restrictions – the COVID-19 situation is under control and the country is well-prepared to relax public health measures.
He said the contact tracing app that uses artificial intelligence will prepare the country in case there is a second wave of coronavirus infections.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham on Monday said Brunei residents will need to be issued a green health code through the contact tracing app before they are given travel access within the country.
Even if restrictions have been lifted, the minister said members of the public must still practise physical distancing while high risk individuals are encouraged to stay home or wear a mask if they go out.
Brunei recorded no new coronavirus cases for the ninth straight day on Tuesday, with the COVID-19 tally staying at 138.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeMuslims can still pay zakat at mosques
6.58pm | April 27, 2020
Mosques and other places of worship will remain closed for congregational prayers for the seventh week but will be open for the payment of Zakat Fitrah (tithes) and Zakat Harta (property tithes), the religious affairs minister announced on Monday.
Joining the health minister in a press briefing, YB Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said some areas of mosques, surau and prayer halls will be open for tithe payments with physical distancing measures put in place.
He said zakat payments will only be conducted at the hallway, verandah or another designated area of each mosque or surau.
The minister added that Amil or zakat collectors from the Brunei Islamic Religious Council will gather tithes from civil servants at their respective ministries.
Members of the public are advised to pay their tithes early to avoid crowding as many Muslims prefer to pay their zakat on the eve of Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
Payments can be done from 8.30am to 11am and 1pm to 3pm every day.
Brunei to adopt contact tracing app after coronavirus restrictions ease
4.50pm | April 27, 2020
Brunei residents will be required to use a contact tracing app that allows the government to track potential carriers of COVID-19 once coronavirus restrictions have been lifted, the health minister said in a press briefing on Monday.
YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said the contact tracing app “will be the new norm” for everyone in Brunei, whereby users will need to fill in an assessment form every day before they are issued a health code that enables them to move freely in the country.
The contact tracing app generates a three-colour ranking code – green means the user is fit and given permission to go out, users with a yellow code can appeal to the authorities before they are allowed to move freely while those with a red code are prohibited from stepping out of their homes.
The app is expected to facilitate the easing of coronavirus curbs as it can identify and trace users who had close contact with a confirmed carrier of COVID-19.
The government is currently in the planning stages of relaxing coronavirus restrictions as no new infections have been reported for the eighth consecutive day and the number of active cases continued to drop to 13 on Monday.
“The team is planning on how to lift the restrictions as they cannot be done all at once. The border [restrictions] will be the last to be [lifted], it can only be done when the global pandemic is over,” the minister said.
He added that the easing of restrictions will be finalised and announced after discussions with other ministries.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham previously said Brunei may relax public health measures when the country records zero new cases for 28 days in a row.
Brunei’s total number of COVID-19 cases remains at 138.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeNo new cases recorded for a week
4.56pm | April 26, 2020
No new cases have been recorded in Brunei for seven consecutive days, according to the latest data from the Ministry on Health.
On Sunday, MoH said there were no new infections, but two more people have recovered and were discharged from the National Isolation Centre.
A total of 123 people have recovered, bringing the recovery rate to 89 percent. The number of active cases being treated at NIC is down to just 14.
Health minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said there were no new relapse cases in the past 24 hours, while eight patients who retested positive are still under observation.
The ministry is still conducting surveillance testing among the general population, with 12,981 tests conducted to date.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeBrunei logs zero new cases, recovery rate stands at 87.6%
5.02pm | April 25, 2020
The number of active coronavirus cases declined to 16 on Saturday after one more patient made a full recovery and zero new infections were recorded. The COVID-19 tally stands at 138.
Brunei has a COVID-19 recovery rate of 87.6 percent with a total of 121 patients discharged from the National Isolation Centre (NIC) since last month.
Health minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar described Brunei’s recovery rate as “quite high”, noting that patients need to test negative for the coronavirus thrice in at least 24 hours apart before they are given the all-clear.
Delivering his daily update of Brunei’s COVID-19 situation, the minister said there were no relapse cases in the past 24 hours while 10 patients who retested positive are still under observation at the NIC.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham also appealed to the public to keep giving blood to prevent shortages during Ramadan.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeNo new cases detected, one patient discharged from NIC
6.11pm | April 24, 2020
No new coronavirus infections were confirmed for the fifth straight day as the number of active cases continued to drop to 17 cases on Friday.
During his daily press briefing, Health Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said one more patient has recovered from the virus in the past 24 hours.
A total of 120 patients have been discharged from the National Isolation Centre (NIC) since Brunei confirmed its first case on March 9.
Another four relapse cases have been given clearance to return home while 10 readmitted patients are still taking further tests at the NIC.
In the past two weeks, the healthy ministry had reported 21 patients who tested positive for a second time.
The national COVID-19 tally remained at 138 and one death was recorded on March 28.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeNew extension for National Isolation Centre doubles patient capacity
2.02pm | April 24, 2020
The National Isolation Centre (NIC) will increase its bed capacity to 296 following the completed construction of its new $11 million extension building in Tutong.
The new building will be able to accommodate 160 patients in isolation wards and six patients in the intensive care unit, more than doubling the number of beds at the existing NIC.
The new wing was built as concerns of an overstretched healthcare system mounted when the existing NIC reached 80 percent of its bed capacity at one point amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
Constructed on a 6,000 square metre site in three weeks, the new building consists of seven blocks. Five blocks will be used to house patients while the remaining blocks are for administration and engineering.
Full story here.
MoH revises guidelines on family gatherings, events
8.15pm | April 23, 2020
The Ministry of Health has limited religious activities such as tahlil, tarawih prayers and doa selamat to a maximum of 30 people at home, depending on the size of the house.
The revised guidelines, which were released on Thursday, spells out events that are permitted and prohibited as well as the precautionary measures the public should take to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.
The guidelines include marriage registration and solemnisation ceremonies, meetings, trainings and job interviews as well as recreational activities.
Brunei reports three more relapse cases, no new infections
6.06pm | April 23, 2020
Another three patients have been readmitted to the National Isolation Centre (NIC) after testing positive for the coronavirus again, bringing Brunei’s total number of relapse cases to 21.
There are now 14 recovered patients taking further tests at the NIC after seven of them were discharged for the second time in the past 11 days, the health minister said in his daily press briefing on Thursday.
The first relapse case reported on April 12 prompted the ministry to retest all recovered patients 11 days after they have been discharged. They are also required to self-isolate at home for another 14 days once they have been released from the NIC.
YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said two more patients have recovered in the past 24 hours. The recovery rate has reached 86 percent in Brunei.
The cumulative tally of coronavirus cases remained at 138 as no new infections were detected on Thursday.
Some 18 patients are still hospitalised, including two who are on life support.
A total of 12,430 lab tests have been conducted, accounting for 2.7 percent of the Brunei population.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeTally remains at 138 without new infections, new NIC wing to be ready soon
6.52pm | April 22, 2020
The National Isolation Centre’s (NIC) new extension building is expected to begin operations “in the next few days”, allowing Brunei to accommodate more coronavirus patients when the need arises.
Health minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said construction of the new wing will be completed tomorrow with clinical cleaning of the premises to be conducted to ensure it is safe and suitable for use before it starts operating.
The $11 million new building will increase bed capacity by 170 in addition to 136 beds at the existing NIC in Tutong.
Brunei’s number of active COVID-19 cases declined to 20 as another patient has been discharged from the NIC in the past 24 hours and no new infections were detected.
The COVID-19 tally remained at 138 for the third straight day.
One recovered patient who tested positive for a second time has also been allowed to return home. Eleven patients who were readmitted to the NIC are still taking further tests.
A total of 12,149 diagnostic tests have been administered, making up 2.6 percent of Brunei’s population.
When asked about the treatment costs of coronavirus patients in the press conference, the minister said costs vary among mild cases and intensive care patients.
For critically ill patients on the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine or mechanical ventilation, an average of $4,000 to $5,000 is spent on a patient in a day on top of medication costs, he said.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham added that intensive care patients that require dialysis can further set the government back about $100,000 a month.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeBrunei mulls curbing oil output in line with OPEC+ pact
9.58pm | April 21, 2020
Brunei will review cutting oil output in cooperation with OPEC, the second minister of finance and economy said Tuesday, with the coronavirus pandemic sinking demand to a 25-year low and creating a global supply glut.
Since the outbreak began global fuel demand has fallen by 30 percent, as steps to fight the coronavirus have grounded planes, cut vehicle usage and curbed economic activity.
YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah said the government is in discussions with Brunei Shell Petroleum and OPEC to see how Brunei can help stabilise the global oil market.
Read the full story here.
Farmers, market vendors to get help in selling agricultural products
8.39pm | April 21, 2020
The government will launch a campaign to help local farmers and market vendors sell their agricultural produce to supermarkets and restaurants, a move aimed at ensuring their income will not be affected by tamu closures due to COVID-19.
Through the initiative dubbed ‘Buy Local Produce Campaign’, Darussalam Enterprise and government-linked company Ghanim International Corporation will assist farmers and tamu vendors to supply their products to a wider market.
Second Finance and Economy Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah said four supermarket chains as well as 54 local farmers and market vendors from Tutong and Seria have expressed their interest to join the campaign.
“This initiative will also ensure stability in prices of agricultural products such as vegetables and fruits and promote agricultural production,” he said.
The minister hoped that more local farmers and tamu vendors will take part in the initiative as they will also receive assistance in marketing their products.
“We will market for them and let them concentrate on farming. The more they produce, the more we can channel to the right places,” he added.
Brunei will continue to import vegetables as the current local supply cannot meet demand.
“We cannot produce all varieties of vegetables. So naturally there will still be import [of agricultural products], we wont be able to substitute a lot of these imports with local produce,” the minister said.
For more information on the ‘Buy Local Produce Campaign’, members of the public can contact Ghanim International Corporation at 8890020.
MoH reports zero new cases
6.28pm | April 21, 2020
Brunei reported no new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row on Tuesday, with the tally maintained at 138.
Giving his update on the COVID-19 situation, Health Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said one patient who was readmitted to the National Isolation Centre (NIC) has been allowed to return home for his 14-day quarantine.
Twelve recovered patients who retested positive in the past few days are still undergoing further testing at the NIC.
No recoveries were recorded on Tuesday. A total of 116 people have recovered from the coronavirus thus far.
One in 38 Brunei residents has taken the diagnostic test for COVID-19 after 11,906 tests have been conducted to date.
The minister said anyone who is unwell will not be allowed to visit patients at hospitals to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection.
The public are also advised not to visit patients in large numbers and limit the length of their visit.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen ModeWe’ve launched a hub for all our COVID-19 related coverage
2.34pm | April 21, 2020
All our news and insights on the pandemic – from the live blog, global stories, key announcements, charts and infographics — in one place. Check out the hub here.
Postal Services Dep’t to provide cross-border parcel delivery services
11.50pm | April 20, 2020
The Postal Services Department will now deliver Brunei residents’ uncollected parcels from Limbang and Miri as travel restrictions have affected the dispatch of packages.
Brunei has reached an agreement with Pos Malaysia to retrieve over 3,000 unclaimed parcels at Limbang Post Office and Miri Post Office, said the minister of transport and infocommunications on Monday.
YB Dato Seri Setia Abdul Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof said the Postal Services Department will now act as a representative to pick up the parcels on behalf of the recipients.
Before Brunei and Malaysia put in place travel restrictions to stop the spread of COVID-19, Brunei residents have been using ‘runner’ services for cross-border delivery of parcels.
Any parties who wish to receive their parcels through the Postal Services Department may fill out a declaration form on the website. These items will be processed through the Mail and Parcel Processing Centre on Old Airport Road, Berakas.
To facilitate the process of shipping and receiving goods that they purchased online, recipients are urged to use their Brunei home address.
Small parcels will be delivered to the recipients while for packages that require approval and authorisation from the relevant agencies such as customs duties and tax payments, direct delivery to the home is subject to the consent of the recipient.
For more information, the public are advised to contact the post office’s customer service centre at 2380481 or 8711002 (WhatsApp) or email cscpost@post.gov.bn.
The minister further said members of the public can make an appointment to renew their vehicle license and driving license through the QueUp mobile app starting April 20.
The app, which can be downloaded from Apple App Store and Google Play Store, allows users to schedule an appointment for renewal of driving and vehicle licenses at the Mail and Parcel Processing Centre, the Postal Services Department and Land Transport Department.
YB Dato Abdul Mutalib said online driving and vehicle license applications increased five-fold to an average of 1,000 to 2,000 applications a day.
UNN partners with submarine cable provider to restore internet services
11.10pm | April 20, 2020
Network service provider Unified National Networks (UNN) has partnered with a submarine cable provider to restore internet services that have been disrupted due to damaged international undersea cables.
During a press conference, Minister of Transport and Infocommunications YB Dato Seri Setia Abd Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof said recovery works on the existing telecommunications network are expected to be completed in the “near future”.
Three faulty international undersea cables have caused internet disruptions across Brunei, including the SEA-ME-WE3 (SMW3) underwater cable system since February 23; Asia-America Gateway (AAG) submarine cable system on April 2 and South-East Asia Japan Cable System (SJC) submarine cable system on April 17.
The internet slowdown is compounded by problems with the Trans-Borneo link cable system, which is often used by UNN to diversify its capacity acquisition, he added.
The minister said UNN has implemented traffic flow management to reduce the impact of internet interruptions and increased the capacity of functioning cable systems to keep up with the surge in internet usage.
In recent weeks, Bruneians have been spending more time at home while students are taking online lessons due to COVID-19.
The undersea cable outages have also affected internet services in other countries in the region including Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines and the Indian sub-continent, said the minister.
MTIC scraps $25 annual license fee for mobile subscribers
10.41pm | April 20, 2020
The Ministry of Transport and Infocommunications has terminated the $25 annual license fee for mobile subscribers beginning January 24, 2020, its minister announced on Monday.
YB Dato Seri Setia Abd Mutalib Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Setia Dato Paduka Hj Mohd Yusof said the move is one of the efforts towards becoming a ‘Smart Nation’ and in line with the restructuring of the country’s telecommunications industry.
It is aimed at making telecommunications services more accessible and affordable for the public and increase the community’s readiness to adopt new digital technologies and services, he added.
Prepaid and post-paid mobile subscribers who have paid their annual license fee on and after January 24 will be refunded.
The reimbursement will begin as soon as the service providers have completed their administrative matters.
For more information on the refund, members of the public can visit AITI’s website or contact their service providers via their customer service line and websites.
MoRA calls for tarawih prayers to be held at home during Ramadan as mosque closure extended
8.09pm | April 20, 2020
Muslims have been urged to perform tarawih prayers at home during Ramadan following the government’s decision to extend the mosque closure for another week amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Religious Affairs Minister YB Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Hj Awg Badaruddin Pengarah Dato Paduka Hj Awg Othman said the mosque closure will affect mass tarawih prayers and reading of the Quran during the first few days of Ramadan.
He said Muslims can hold tarawih prayers among family members at home and must comply with the health ministry’s guidelines on size limit for group gatherings.
“It is heavy-hearted that the temporary mosque closure is entering its sixth week, especially when we are about to welcome Ramadan.
“However, we are aware that the temporary closure of mosques and other places of worship is one of the most important steps taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the safety and welfare of people in the country,” the minister added.
Tally stays at 138 with no new infections
6.50pm | April 20, 2020
The health ministry on Monday recorded zero new coronavirus infections for the first time in three days. The total number of cases stands at 138.
Giving his daily press briefing, Health Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said one recovered patient was released in the past 24 hours.
The recovery rate has reached 84 percent after a total of 116 patients were discharged from the National Isolation Centre.
The ministry has also started taking random tests on prisoners and residents at Al-Islah Rehabilitation Centre since April 16, with none of the inmates testing positive so far.
Some 1,001 foreign workers have taken the swab test to date, including labourers, cleaners, as well as supermarket and department store workers.
A total of 11,633 lab tests have been administered since January, accounting for 2.5 percent of Brunei’s population.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham said surveillance testing on migrant workers in other sectors and prisoners will continue from time to time.
The minister also clarified that members of the public can still visit recreational parks and beaches but must obey government guidelines on practising physical distancing and avoiding mass outdoor activities.
Some parks shut its gates following the minister’s announcement that mass gatherings are prohibited at parks and beaches during yesterday’s press briefing.
Full statement from MoH:
Fullscreen Mode