Rokiah Mahmud

The majority of the public have decided to stay at home since the Ministry of Health announced the first COVID-19 case in Brunei.

With the latest figure standing at 37, restaurants and eateries have also felt the impact as they received less diners while some ordered take-away and others used food-delivery services.

Local Jury Yusoef said since the virus outbreak in the country, his family preferred to have meals at home rather than going out.

“The situation had made us worry and concerned because of my children, especially the young one. Rather than taking a risk, it is safe for now to stay at home and at the same time practise cleanliness and keep calm,” he said. Meanwhile, a mother who did not wish to be identified said the virus has caused panic among a large number of people.

“The panic may be due to the situation the public see on foreign news or the social media platform where people are buying goods in large numbers,” she said adding that maybe these people are not aware about what is actually happening and what should be done during a time like this.

“We hope the authorities, especially the Ministry of Health will implement remedial measures while the public should also play their role.

“Viral messages should be verified before being shared. News and messages from unreliable sources should also not be entertained,” she added.