HCM City to suspend non-essential services, gatherings from July 31

Bui Vien Street in Ho Chi Minh City, a location frequented by tourists (Photo: VNA)

The HCM City People’s Committee on July 30 ordered temporary closure of establishments providing non-essential services in the city, including bars and discotheques, as from 0:00 am of July 31 until further notice.

The decision was made to curb the spread of the coronavirus, after two locally-transmitted cases of COVID-19 were detected in the city in the past few days.

The organisation of events attracting crowds such as festivals, fairs, trade promotions and conferences will be halted. Local authorities also warned against crowd gatherings at weddings and funerals and of more than 30 at public places (except for schools and hospitals).

Agencies and authorities at all levels were asked to stay vigilant against the pandemic and revise plans on battling the pandemic in the new circumstances.

The Department of Information and Communications was requested to bolster communications activities on the pandemic, preventive measures and health recommendations.

According to the city’s Department of Health, there were 63 confirmed COVID-19 cases in HCM City as of July 30, with two newest cases being reported on July 29.

Some 9,000 people recently returning from the central city of Da Nang home to the latest COVID-19 outbreak have made health declarations, while nearly 6,000 had their samples taken, the department said./.

VNA