Hanoi has temporarily closed some historical relics and popular landscapes to avoid public gatherings and conduct disinfection measures, local media reported.

The Temple of Literature, Ngoc Son Temple, Hoa Lo Prison, and Imperial Citadel of Thang Long have been temporarily closed for disinfection since March 10 under the guidance of the Ministry of Health.

A staff disinfects Hoa Lo Prison relic site. Photo: HNM

Director of the Temple of Literature’s Cultural and Scientific Centre Le Xuan Kieu said that staff there would also be thoroughly trained on hygiene and virus prevention measures.

The move aims to ensure safety for tourists as well as the relic’s staff as the epidemic evolution is still complicated, Kieu added.

Director of the Hoa Lo Prison Management Board Nguyen Thi BichThuy said the site has been closed since Monday afternoon after it was made public that two British Covid-19 patients visited the site.

It is expected that Hoa Lo Prison will be closed for at least 14 days, in accordance with the guidelines of the Ministry of Health on Covid-19 prevention. The relic’s staff are also required to comply with health sector’s recommendations to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

On February 4, all historical and tourist sites in Hanoi were asked to be closed at the request of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In the first months of 2020, tour activities in Hanoi city have been experiencing a dull period with around 7,600 inbound and 7,100 outbound tourists canceling bookings. The number of visitors to popular destinations has dropped by 30-50%.

Hanoi is home to over 1,300 travel companies and 3,000 accommodation establishments.