The Hanoi city government has encouraged people to refrain from going out and not to gather in crowds as more Covid-19 infections are found, local media reported.

The recommendation was stated in a document issued by Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Ngo Van Quy on measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic in the context that the novel coronavirus has reappeared in 15 localities and some virus carriers have complicated travel history.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Ngo Van Quy directly inspects the prevention and control of Covid-19 pandemic at some hospitals in the city. Photo: Xuan Loc

The document advises people to keep a minimum distance of one meter from other, regularly wash hands, wear face masks, make medical declaration and immediately go to medical facilities when having cough, fever, short breath or pneumonia.

Besides, activities like festivals, sporting events, large gatherings and unimportant events will be halted throughout the city, the document said.

The city continues to ban non-essential services such as karaoke bar, night club, discos and sidewalk tea shops.

Bus drivers are required to clean and disinfect their vehicles regularly, prepare antiseptic solution and hand sanitizer for passengers.

The document requests organizers to hold meetings and conferences with large audiences with online platforms.

The Department of Health has been assigned to inspect compliance of medical examination and treatment facilities with regulations of the Ministry of Health, ensuring the safety for health workers and patients.

The department is asked to pay attention to severe patients, the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.

Hanoi's police force is required to coordinate with relevant authorities to inspect and handle illegal immigrants, those who take advantage of the pandemic for self-seeking purposes and those who do not make medical declaration or make false statements and violate epidemic prevention and control measures.

The municipal leader asked all units in the city to ensure effective control and prevent the pandemic from spreading on a large scale in the city, and try to achieve socio-economic development goals.

Hanoi has recorded over 100,000 people returning from Danang, the coronavirus epicenter in the country now. The city is striving to take samples of 77,000 returnees between July 15 and 29 for PCR tests.

As of August 16, Hanoi recorded 31 Covid-19 cases since the beginning of July, of which eight were detected in the community, 20 others are people returning from Equatorial Guinea and are under treatment at a hospital in the city.