There’s no need for citizens in Hanoi to rush to supermarkets and shops to buy in basic necessities as providers can ensure goods supplies, and crowds can spread the coronavirus, Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue has stated.
| Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Vuong Dinh Hue. Photo:Vo Hai/VnExpress |
The statement was made at a meeting on Saturday morning when locals flocked to stores to hoard foodstuffs and other necessities such as toilet paper after the first nCoV patient was confirmed in the city on March 6.
Hue affirmed that besides supermarkets, other channels are capable of ensuring basic supplies for local citizens.
Crowds at stores without taking preventive measures can be a source of contagion, Hue said. “At the moment, we should uphold vigilance but should not get into a panic. Everyone needs to trust epidemic countermeasures taken by the city.”
The municipal Department of Industry and Trade informed that sales volume at supermarkets and convenience stores soared 40-50% on Friday night and Saturday morning. It asked providers not to raise prices or hoard goods.
The department reckoned that shortages were just temporary.
| People rush to buy basic necessities in Hanoi on March 7. Photo: VnExpress |
Hanoi is home to 455 wet markets, 26 trade centers, 142 supermarkets, 1,800 convenience stores and a large number of online shops, according to the department’s statistics.
In addition, Hue asked local authorities to postpone festivals or unnecessary massive events. Local police are required to strictly handle disseminators of fake news and disinformation that may cause panic.
Hanoi confirmed the first nCoV infected case on March 6 evening, which is the 17th infection in Vietnam. The patient, 26, travelled to the UK, Italy and France before coming back to Hanoi on March 2 and was admitted to hospital on March 5 evening. Two others got infected from her, being the 19th and 20th patients in Vietnam.
Authorities have identified 33 people that made close contact with the patient and 90 other that had indirect contact. All of them are under isolation and close watch.
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