Vietnam declared a 15-day lockdown of Hanoi as a precaution against a coronavirus outbreak in the country’s southern Mekong Delta region.
The lockdown order was issued Friday night and prohibits more than two people from gathering in public. Only essential businesses, government offices and hospitals are permitted to remain open.
The city suspended outdoor activities earlier in the week and closed all non-essential businesses due to an increase in cases. Hanoi had 70 confirmed cases of infection on Friday. This is the highest number in Vietnam, and it was part of the 7,295 total cases reported in the country over the past 24 hours.
Nearly 5,000 are from Vietnam’s largest city, southern Ho Chi Minh City. The lockdown has been extended to Aug. 1.
Vietnam has seen over 83,000 cases of infection and 335 deaths in the COVID-19 wave that began in April.
The meeting of the National Assembly, which opened in Hanoi on Tuesday and had 499 delegated, is continuing. However, it was cut to 12 days from its original 17 days.
According to the National Assembly, the delegates have been immunized and are routinely tested for coronavirus. They travel in a bubble and are isolated at hotels.
