People shop at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Muslims in Brunei observed the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan on Sunday as the country has recorded less than 1,000 new COVID-19 cases for 11 consecutive days.
The daily period of fasting starts at the breaking of dawn and ends at the setting of the sun.
Twelve cannon shots were fired at Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien here in the capital, which unveiled the fasting month.
Unlike the practice of closing all Ramadan markets due to the pandemic in 2020, as Brunei has announced entering the COVID-19 endemic period, the country resumed last year's Ramadan markets in several locations across the country, with vendors offering Malay-style cakes, barbecue, drinks and other Muslim delicacies, attracting a large number of people to the markets.
Brunei reported 544 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, bringing the national tally to 135,974.
As a country of 420,000 people, Brunei has recorded less than 1,000 new cases for 11 straight days since March 24 after the daily increase during the third wave of the pandemic reached its peak on March 3 with 4,885 cases.
As of Saturday, 61.9 percent of Brunei's population have received three doses of COVID-19 vaccines.
In his special speech broadcasted nationwide before welcoming the first day of Ramadan, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, Brunei's Sultan urged the people to exercise perseverance and patience in the face of challenges during the holy month of Ramadan and the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the month of Ramadan, working hours at government ministries and private industries will be adjusted for earlier off-duty to facilitate fasting for Muslims.
Local eateries are advised not to serve dine-in customers in daylight hours under local law. Offenders will be prosecuted for disrespecting the holy month.
Consuming food, drinking and smoking in public places during daylight hours are also offenses under the law, under which offenders can be prosecuted.
Non-Muslims can buy fast food takeaway in restaurants or eateries. ■
People eat in front of the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022. (Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)
A vendor sells fruits at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022.(Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)
People buy fruits at a local market during the fasting month of Ramadan in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, April 3, 2022.(Photo by Jeffrey Wong/Xinhua)
