Ho Chi Minh City halts all non-essential business and service establishments

Facing the complex developments of the coronavirus, the municipal People's Committee ordered a halt to all cultural, sports, and entertainment activities, beauty salons, karaoke parlours, dance halls, restaurants, bars, pubs, beer clubs, massage and sauna parlours, e-game stores, wedding centres, tea shops, theatres, sports centres, and billiards clubs.

People should be on high alert and maintain strict compliance with COVID-19 preventive measures.

The suspension will be in place from June 20 until further notice.

Regarding the epidemic situation that is breaking out again in the central city of Da Nang after 31 days without new infections, the municipal People's Committee has decided to shut down all food and beverage establishments, and swimming activities. Food and beverage facilities are only allowed to provide takeaway services.

The Ministry of Health reported that 139 new COVID-19 cases had been detected in the six hours from 6am to 12pm on June 20, including 130 local infections and 9 imported.

Among the domestic cases, 53 were detected in Bac Giang, 34 in Ho Chi Minh City, 18 in Da Nang, 13 in Binh Duong, 9 in Bac Ninh, and 1 each in Ha Tinh and Quang Nam, with 127 cases identified in areas under quarantine or lockdown.

The national tally rose to 13,117 as of 12pm June 20, including 11,419 domestic cases. Among the patients actively undergoing treatment, 395 have tested negative to coronavirus once, 127 twice and 131 thrice.

A total of 5,054 patients were given the all-clear from the virus while the death toll related to the disease amounts to 64. Twenty-one provinces and cities have gone free of new cases for at least 14 days.