James Kon
Brunei has seen a massive jump in new COVID-19 cases in the past week with an average daily rate of 668 cases compared to 175 in the previous week.
According to the Ministry of Health, the increase is expected: “It is a normal cycle variation for most infections, including COVID-19.
“In addition, viruses will also continue to undergo evolution and produce variants over time. In this regard, through the ongoing genomic surveillance programme in the Sultanate, 8.1 per cent of the reported COVID-19 cases in the country last April were from the Omicron XBB 1.16 variant or what is also known informally as the Arcturus variant.
“Although scientific studies conclude that this variant spreads more easily, it does not cause an increase in the number of severe cases.”
The public is advised to remain vigilant during the festive season, such as not visiting relatives and friends when experiencing signs of infection. Anyone showing signs of infection is encouraged to screen for COVID-19.
