Ho Chi Minh City calls for 15-day social distancing as COVID-19 infections rise

May 31, 2021 | 13:51

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Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong has ordered social distancing across the city for at least two weeks starting from May 31 over fears of rising local COVID-19 transmissions.

ho chi minh city calls for 15 day social distancing as covid 19 infections rise

An empty street in Ho Chi Minh City in the first day of social distancing

According to Nguyen Tan Binh, director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the city has now recorded 379 COVID-19 infection cases. Since May 26, the city reported 133 infections, 126 of whom are related to a religious mission.

Accordingly, social distancing measures following the government's Directive No.16/CT-TTg dated March 31, 2020is being imposed in Go Vap district, where the religious mission is based, and District 12's Thanh Loc ward. A large number of infections have been recorded in these areas. The rest of the city will follow instructions from Directive No.15/CT-TTg dated March 27, 2020.

Directive 15 requires the suspension of social events, bans gatherings of 20 people or more in one place and of 10 people or more outside workplaces, schools, and hospitals. A minimum distance of two metres between people in public places should be ensured.

Directive 16 imposes stricter measures. It does not allow gatherings of more than two people in public and asks people to only leave home for emergencies, buying food and medicine, and working in factories, production facilities, and businesses that involve “essential” goods and services.

Binh noted that the city now has an alarming 13 COVID-19 infections per million residents.