BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The health ministry Sunday confirmed that two more COVID-19 patients have lost their lives, including a 30-year-old man who died of a lung infection.
The other fatality, a 54-year-old woman, was said to have underlying health conditions and her death was not attributed to the coronavirus.
Brunei’s COVID-19 death toll stands at 17, with the majority of fatalities reported in the second wave of infections.
A total of 3,824 coronavirus cases have been detected in the current outbreak, accounting for over 91 percent of the cumulative number of infections.
Giving his daily COVID-19 update, Health Minister YB Dato Seri Setia Dr Hj Mohammad Isham Hj Jaafar said 128 new cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, down from 141 the previous day.
There are now 69 active clusters after six new clusters emerged on Sunday. All of the new clusters were linked to individuals who contracted the coronavirus before spreading to household members.
The minister said the rising number of clusters indicate that people are still going out and about despite the government imposing movement restrictions.
Forty of the 69 active clusters were linked to individual cases.
Some 106 patients were discharged overnight, while the number of active cases totalled 1,491.
Thirty-eight people are in the intensive care unit, including 11 who are critically ill.
A COVID-19 patient also became the seventh person to deliver a baby via caesarian section at the National Isolation Centre. Both mother and child were reported to be in good health.
Temburong vaccination centre moved to Belalong Community Hall
From September 13, Temburong residents can no longer receive their COVID-19 jabs at the PIHM Hospital as the health ministry has relocated the district’s vaccination centre to Belalong Community Hall.
The Temburong vaccination centre will be operating from Monday to Thursday and Saturday, from 8.15am to 11.30am and 1.45pm to 3pm.
Asked for an update on vaccine supply, YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham said the government is still in negotiations with countries to get more vaccine doses.
Brunei’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign hit a stumbling block as the government temporarily stopped first-dose vaccinations due to a vaccine shortage nearly two weeks ago.
The minister previously said Brunei was holding talks with Singapore to secure more vaccines through a swap deal.
According to the health ministry’s latest figures, 52.1 percent of the population have received at least one vaccine dose.
Thirty-one percent of residents are fully vaccinated after getting two vaccine shots.
YB Dato Dr Hj Mohd Isham also reminded the public not to discriminate against COVID-19 patients or those who have recovered.
“We should give them moral support, especially because of long COVID,” he said, adding that long-term effects of the coronavirus include shortness of breath and feeling weak.