Numerous people in Hanoi were fined over VND3 billion ($130,769) for violating Covid-19 control measures in the past four days, according to the city’s police.

On July 27 alone, 804 offenders had to pay more than VND1,5 billion ($65,385) for their violation, Hanoi police said, adding that the local residents were penalized for flouting face mask rule or failing to keep distance in pubic, or going out for unnecessary reasons.

Fifteen facilities were also handed out tickets worth VND207.5 million (over $9,000) for continuing to operate despite a suspension on non-essential services during the social distancing period, the police added.

The fines became effective last weekend after the capital city entered a two-week partial lockdown starting July 24 amid rising coronavirus concerns.

A traffic police officer intercepts three people on a Hanoi street for checking. Photo: The Hanoi Times

The order, issued under the PM’s Directive 16, requires residents to stay at home and only go out for basic necessities such as buying food or medicines or to work at businesses that are allowed to open.

People must stay at least two meters apart from each other. No more than two people can gather in public areas apart from workplaces, schools, or hospitals.

Hanoi police have erected checkpoints on multiple streets to control traffic flow. Over 47,000 vehicles have been checked throughout the weekend, and more than 13,000 were denied going ahead.

Hanoi has recorded 1,007 Covid-19 cases in the fourth wave that began in late April. A new cluster at the Hanoi Lung Hospital has seen at least 26 coronavirus cases, including the hospital staff, patients, and their family members, since July 25. The hospital has since been locked down and ceased to admit patients.

Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung at a meeting on July 27 asked the city’s inspection teams to regularly enforce Directive 16 in the districts to strictly handle the possible irresponsibilities of the local leaders.

Their compliance of responsibilities would be "measurement" for the Party committees and authorities' performance at all levels, especially the local leaders, Dung said.

"If violations of Covid-19 prevention rules continue to exist, it will negatively affect the city's general pandemic prevention and control results, waste the "golden time" of 15 days of social distancing to curb the pandemic," Dung stressed.

Fifteen inspection teams will strengthen unscheduled inspections, regularly supervise the leadership and direction of the Party committees and authorities at all levels during the period of social distancing.