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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2020
VOL.24 | NO.231
LIFESTYLE
14
No stopping the boys
FEATURES
22
Youth ‘power’ at PKBN
WORLD
24
China to lift lockdown in most of
virus-hit Hubei province
HOME
5
Mosque cleaning continues
nationwide
James Kon
Brunei Darussalam recorded 13 new cases
of COVID19 yesterday, bringing the total of
conirmed cases in the Sultanate to 104.
Eight of the new cases are linked to Case
91 from a family group that went on a vacation
to Surabaya, Indonesia, and returned to Brunei
Darussalam on March 20, aboard Flight BI796.
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr
Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar announced
the developments at a press conference
at the Ministry of Health’s (MoH) Al-’Aiah
Hall yesterday.
He stated, “COVID19 Case 92 is a 39-year-
old woman, who is the wife of Case 81. She
developed fever on March 22, and does not
have any recent history of travel abroad.
“Case 93 is a 57-year-old local man, Case
96 is a 50-year-old local man, Case 97 is a
Sultanate records 13 COVID-19
cases, total now 104
Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji
Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar.
PHOTO: JAMES KON
60-year-old local woman, Case 98 is a 30-year-
old local woman, Case 99 is a 66-year-old local
man, Case 100 is a 66-year-old local man,
Case 102 is a 60-year-old local woman and
Case 104 is a 51-year-old local woman. These
eight cases are linked to Case 91.”
“Case 94 is a 56-year-old man who is
a colleague of Case 84. He does not have
any recent history of travel abroad, and
developed fever on March 22.
“Case 95 is a 42-year-old woman, who is
the wife of Case 90. She does not have any
recent history of travel abroad, and started
to develop lu on March 20.
“Case 101, a 45-year-old woman, is a
contact of Case 73. She does not have
any recent history of travel abroad, and
developed fever on March 22.”
Continue to Page 2
Fadley Faisal
A 62-year-old local woman was produced in
the Magistrate’s Court yesterday to face a
charge of an offence under Section 62A(2)
of the Infectious Diseases Act, Chapter 204,
for failing to comply with the direction issued
by the Ministry of Health (MoH) not to serve
dine-in services.
This is the irst prosecution brought
under the new amendments of the Infectious
Diseases Act.
She is alleged to have offered dine-
in services to members of the public at a
lat in Mabohai on March 21, two days after
the MoH direction was announced. Deputy
Public Prosecutor Shamsuddin bin Haji
Local woman charged for alleged
dine-in services despite MoH’s orders
Kamaluddin applied for the charge to be
read and for the defendant’s plea to be
recorded. The defendant requested for
a Mandarin interpreter.
Chief Magistrate Pengiran Masni binti
Pengiran Haji Bahar granted her request
and adjourned the case to today. The
defendant was released on court bail of
BND2,000 or in one local surety.
The Attorney General’s Chambers also
reminded thepublic of theMoH’s direction
for food and beverage establishments not
to serve dine-in customers to curb the
spread of COVID19 in the Sultanate.
Failing to comply with MoH’s direction
will result in a ine not exceeding
BND10,000, imprisonment for a term not
exceeding six months or both.
CNA - Malaysia reported 106 new coronavirus
cases yesterday. This takes the national the
total to 1,624 - the highest in Southeast Asia.
The country also reported another death
linked to COVID19, bringing the death toll to 15.
Health Director-General Dr Noor Hisham
Abdullah said the country’s 15
th
fatality was a
71-year-old Malaysian man from Melaka.
The man - Case 1,519 - was a close contact
of another case who had attended a religious
gathering at the Sri Petaling Mosque.
The elderly man had a history of chronic
illness and had received treatment at Hospital
Pakar Sultanah in the town of Muar.
TheHealthMinistry said43of the newcases
were linked to the mass religious gathering,
which has already been connected to over 60
per cent of the total infections in Malaysia.
A total of 10 deaths, or 67 per cent of the
fatalities, are linked to the religious gathering.
The other ive deaths have been linked to
overseas travel.
The event, which took place from February
27 toMarch 1, was attendedby 16,000people. It
has also led to infections in neighbouring coun-
tries including Brunei, Singapore and Cambo-
dia. Some 64 patients are currently receiving
treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU), with
27 of them needing ventilation support, while
another 24 patients have been discharged.
A total of 183 patients have recovered from
COVID19 so far, the Malaysian ministry said.
Singapore reported 49 new COVID19
cases yesterday, of which 32 were imported
infections. This takes the country’s total to
558 cases. Most of the imported infections
had a travel history to the United Kingdom (UK),
said Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) in its
daily update.
Continue to Page 2
Southeast Asia’s
COVID-19 cases rise,
Malaysia records
another fatality
linked to religious
gathering
Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (RIPAS) Hospital adopted strict measures, which include
barring those with high risk of spreading infection and those who are vulnerable to getting
infected to curb the spread of the COVID19 infection. Only those who are issued ‘safe stickers’
after screening are allowed to visit patients and attend doctor appointments to minimise the
risk of infection. PHOTO: RAHWANI ZAHARI
- Full Report on Pages 7 & 8
FRONTLINERS WORKING ROUND THE CLOCK
Number of cases
Number of deaths
Recovered cases
Brunei Darussalam
COVID-19 STATISTICS
As of 24 March 2020
104
0
2