Hanoi has shut down all internet and online game stores since February 2 as part of measures to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung announced the decision at a meeting on the latest Covid-19 outbreak Monday afternoon.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung speaks at the meeting. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

“All non-essential services including internet and online game centers must be temporarily closed,” Mr. Dung said, adding that all eateries are required to disinfect their space regularly, arrange seats to ensure social distancing and ask all staff to wear masks.

Hanoi has also called on places of worship not to organize events involving large numbers of people, and ordered a limit on public gatherings, the vice chairman stressed.

Besides, the city leader also asked relevant units to continue strictly isolating Covid-19 cases, focusing on tracing to F3. They should be proactive in all situations, enhancing Covid-19 testing capacity and early confirming F1 cases who are tested negative with coronavirus so as to avoid confusion among the people.

Previously, bars, karaoke parlors, and discotheques in Hanoi must close from February 1 to contain the spreading of the novel coronavirus.

The latest Covid-19 wave with 20 community transmissions in capital city and 238 across the country in the last four days has come right before the Lunar New Year (Tet), Vietnam's biggest holiday.

The nation has registered 1,851 cases of novel coronavirus carriers, of them 1460 recovered and 35 deceased so far.