Localities impose social distancing as multiple COVID-19 cases found

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• Localities intensify COVID-19 prevention measures ahead of holidays

In particular, the Vinh Phuc Provincial People’s Committee has imposed a 15-day social distancing order in Vinh Yen City starting Friday.

People are required to stay at home and only go out in urgent situations. Non-essential businesses and services are closed and people must keep a distance of at least two meters and no gatherings of more than two people at public places are permitted.

The epidemic broke out several days ago in Vinh Phuc when a group of Chinese experts visited Sunny bar in Phuc Yen city. Six staff of the bar who had come into close contact with the Chinese experts later tested positive for the virus.

Many others were also diagnosed for the virus closely linked to the outbreak at the Sunny bar. Notably, some were confirmed to have carried the Indian variant B.1.617.2 which is more transmissible and more lethal than predecessor strains.

By Thursday evening, Vinh Phuc reported 27 COVID-19 cases, of them, 11 are in Vinh Yen City. 

Earlier, Thai Binh Province ordered social distancing from noon of Thursday, meaning gatherings larger than 20 people in public are forbidden, all non-essential services - including sports and culture and entertainment activities - are halted, and schools were shut until further notice.

The five COVID-19 cases in Thai Binh are one man residing in Binh Minh Commune, Kien Xuong District, and four women residing in Thai Thuy District and Vu Thu District. All of which are related to the COVID-19 hotspot at Hanoi-based National Hospital for Tropical Diseases.

Provincial police have set up checkpoints at the patients’ residential areas. The local Health Department has also traced 21 people who had close contacts with the patients.

Meanwhile, the central city of Da Nang has suspended on-site service at food and beverage establishments. Starting Friday, all restaurants and coffee houses will not serve customers on the premises. They can offer takeaways, instead.

The Da Nang Administrative Centre also put in place the strictest health measures in order to protect the safety of the center’s staffs and its visitors.

After recording five locally-transmitted cases in the latest outbreak, Da Nang had already stopped essential services including bars, dance clubs, karaoke and massage parlors, beauty salons and gyms. It has also put a hold on all cultural, art and religious activities.