(VOVWORLD) - HCM city residents will be banned from going out between 6 pm and 6 am the next day, starting Monday, as Vietnam’s largest economic hub sees no sign of improvement in its COVID-19 fight after more than two weeks into stringent social distancing under Directive 16, equivalent to a lockdown.
 HCM city’s Nguyen Hue pedestrian street during social distancing under Directive 16. |
With a population of 10 million, HCM city continues to be the epicentre of the ongoing fourth wave of coronavirus in Vietnam with more than 60,000 local cases recorded since late April, accounting for nearly two thirds of the country’s total count.
“From tomorrow evening, people absolutely cannot go out from 6 pm. All activities will have to be suspended, except for emergency medical care or pandemic fight operations," municipal Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong said. But he insisted that the latest measure is not a curfew.
Mr. Phong said that despite the social distancing order currently in effect, which states that people must stay at home and go outside only for necessary purposes like buying food or essential items, or for medical emergencies, direct contact remains rampant and there are still too many people travelling in the streets.
“That's the reason the outbreak has escalated,” he said, “if we cannot control this, things will get worse, forcing us to take even stronger measures which might have significant impacts on multiple aspects.”
Phan Van Mai, HCM city’s Deputy Party Secretary said that local authorities will deploy a patrol taskforce to ensure strict enforcement of social distancing. He said the city will increase goods supply and support affected people.