Brunei prolong Malaysia border shutdown by 15 days

Brunei – According to Xinhua, the Prime Minister’s Office in Brunei said recently that the temporary suspension of cross-border activity between Brunei and Malaysia would be prolonged for another 15 days.

For a total of 15 more days till January 15, 2022, the government has prolonged the temporary suspension on admission of foreign people via land and sea ports, including transits through Brunei, with the exception of entry and transit journeys that have been allowed by the government.

Brunei, which is located in Southeast Asia northwest of Kalimantan, has land and maritime borders with the East Malaysian state of Sarawak.

The temporary suspension on travel to and from eight countries, namely South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe has been lifted based on the health ministry’s risk assessment of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region and around the world.

From Saturday, January 1, 2022, considerations for essential travel entrance into and departure from Brunei Darussalam for citizens of the above-mentioned countries will be permitted, according to a statement released by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

It is stated by the office that the Covid-19 Steering Committee would examine the requirements for consideration of entrance and departure travel specified above on a regular basis.

Brunei reported five additional confirmed cases of Covid-19 the other day, including three local infections and two imported cases, increasing the total number of confirmed cases to 15,470, as indicated by the latest available data.

Despite the fact that a total of eight Omicron variant cases have been detected, Health Minister Dr Haji Mohd Isham said that there is no need to be alarmed since the cases are under control.

About 95 percent of the population of Brunei has gotten at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of December 29, with 93 percent having finished their two-dose immunization program and about 20 percent having received three doses.

In Brunei, a total of 98 active cases are still being treated and monitored, and 100 persons have died as a result of the infection thus far in the nation.