BY James Kon

As face-to-face learning in schools resume today, the COVID-19 vaccination rate for children aged five to 11 climbed to over 70 per cent on Thursday.

Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong shared the latest COVID-19 vaccination figures during the daily press conference on Friday.

Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar said, “As of Thursday, a total of 1,738 doses of the vaccine were administered to children aged five to 11, bringing the total number of the first dose of vaccination administered to 30,948 or 72.1 per cent.”

Meanwhile, some 1,352 second doses of the vaccine were administered to children in the age group, bringing the tally of second doses administered to children to 8,542 or 20.1 per cent.

The rate for the Sultanate’s citizens and residents who have received three doses of the vaccine is 68 per cent.

Meanwhile, 270 new COVID-19 cases were detected in the country on Friday, bringing the national tally of confirmed cases to 144,136. Of the new cases, 268 were results from antigen rapid tests (ARTs) and two were results of 280 RT-PCR laboratory tests performed in the past 24 hours.

In the past 24 hours, one COVID-19 case passed away with the case categorised as death not due to COVID-19.

In light of the fatality, the minister said, “On behalf of the Ministry of Health (MoH) as well as the people of Brunei, I would like to express our deepest condolences to the case’s family. May the case’s soul receive blessings and be placed among the pious.”

On the latest number of cases in Categories 4 and 5, the minister said, “There are no cases in Category 5 requiring treatment in the intensive care unit. One case in Category 4 requires oxygen assistance and is under close monitoring.”

On the number of recoveries and active cases, he said 145 cases have recovered, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 142,318. There are 1,598 active cases with 16 receiving treatment in hospitals and 1,582 on self-isolation.

Deputy Permanent Secretary (Professional) at the MoH Dr Ang Swee Hui also attended.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin