Brunei reports first death from novel coronavirus

KUALA LUMPUR

Brunei confirmed its first death from the novel coronavirus, local media reported on Saturday.

A 64-year-old patient who came to Brunei on March 4 after traveling to Malaysia and Cambodia, succumbed to the virus, Malaysian state-run Bernama news reported.

The number of confirmed cases in the country has reached 115 and while 11 people have recovered from COVID-19.

After first appearing in Wuhan, China, last December, the novel coronavirus has spread to at least 176 countries and territories, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The data shows over 598,000 cases have been reported worldwide since last December, with the death toll above 27,700 and over 131,700 recoveries.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar