Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City introduces 2 weeks of COVID-19 distancing measures: Report

HANOI: Vietnam's business hub Ho Chi Minh City will begin social distancing measures in the city for 15 days starting from May 31 in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19, state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday (May 30).

"All events that gather more than 10 people in public are banned city-wide, but the city is considering to lower the number of people to just five," Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.

"While all citizens of Go Vap district are not allowed to go out if not necessary," the report added.

Ho Chi Minh City earlier this week shut down shops and restaurants.

READ: Vietnam detects hybrid of COVID-19 variants from India and UK

After successfully containing COVID-19 for most of last year, Vietnam is now battling an outbreak that is spreading more quickly.

Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long said on Saturday the country has detected a new variant of the coronavirus, a mix of the strains from India and the United Kingdom that spreads quickly by air, online newspaper VnExpress reported.

Nearly 3,600 people have been infected in 31 of its 63 cities and provinces since late April, accounting for more than half of the country's total infections.

Vietnam has registered 6,396 coronavirus cases as of Saturday, with 47 deaths.

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