BY James Kon & Adib Noor

Berhidang-style Hari Raya open houses for close family members are allowed, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham bin Haji Jaafar said at the daily press conference on Tuesday.

The minister said a buffet-style format, such as those available at restaurants, hotel receptions or large events, is not permissible, noting that this would only concentrate crowds as they queue for their food, which in turn increases the COVID-19 transmission risk.

“However, a berhidang set-up is allowed for a maximum of 30 family members, on condition that they have followed all procedures such as antigen rapid test (ART) screening and showing no symptoms before the Hari Raya gathering,” said the minister.

On a separate note, the minister said that deliberations are in place to loosen restrictions on visiting patients at hospitals, and that a decision will be announced soon.

“Hospitals are for those in need of medical care, and this includes COVID-19 patients,” he said, adding that such buildings are considered high risk areas.

“The safety and protection of those at hospitals – both medical staff and patients – are of great importance. Talks on loosening the restrictions are ongoing, but it is a difficult decision to make,” he said.

Various institutions, schools and offices, have yet to function at full capacity, Dr Haji Mohd Isham added.

Meanwhile, furnishing updates on the COVID climate in the Sultanate, the minister said 136 new COVID-19 cases were recorded on Tuesday, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 141,405.

Of the latest figures, 118 were detected through ART, while 18 of the 597 RT-PCR laboratory tests performed in the past 24 hours returned positive. Two Category 5 cases are receiving treatment at the intensive care unit, while one Category 4 case is under closer monitoring and receiving oxygen assistance.

Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohd Isham said, “A total of 197 cases have recovered, bringing the number of recoveries to 140,249. The number of active cases stands at 938, with 22 receiving treatment at hospitals, while 916 are undergoing home self-isolation.”

The vaccination rate for children aged five to 11 has reached 40.8 per cent. The 1,300 doses administered on Tuesday brings the total to 17,506 doses. Of the figure, 0.4 per cent have received their second dose, translating to 169 doses. Meanwhile, the booster coverage rate in the Sultanate stands at 64.4 per cent.

Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Haji Maswadi bin Haji Mohsin also attended the press event.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin