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In photos: How a virus has changed Vietnam’s busiest cities

In photos: How a virus has changed Vietnam’s busiest cities

Monday, March 23, 2020, 15:26 GMT+7
In photos: How a virus has changed Vietnam’s busiest cities
The Reunification Palace in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and after (right) it stopped receiving visitors from March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Many public places and attractions in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City – Vietnam’s two busiest cities – have become much less crowded following outbreaks of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country.

The novel coronavirus, which first emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019, has infected over 338,700 and killed more than 14,600 globally as of Monday morning, according to Ministry of Health statistics.

Vietnam’s total number of COVID-19 patients has reached 121, with 17 having been discharged from the hospital.

While no death has been recorded, Vietnamese authorities have taken assertive measures to curb the disease, namely closing schools, shutting down entertainment facilities in major cities and provinces, mandating wearing face masks at crowded public places, and barring entry to foreigners.

As Hanoi has 38 active cases while Ho Chi Minh City has 27 – the country’s two largest clusters of infections to date – local residents have shied away from going to public places or even getting out of their houses.

Many companies have also told their employees to work from home while tourism is hammered by COVID-19, further emptying streets in the two metropolises.

A stark contrast of the cities’ streets before and after the epidemic can be observed in the following photos captured by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper’s reporters.

In Ho Chi Minh City:

Nguyen Hue Walking Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is crowded on a regular weekend (left) and nearly empty on March 22, 2020 (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam was crowded on a regular weekend (left) and nearly empty on March 22, 2020 (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

The Central Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

The Saigon Central Post Office before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Vincom Shopping Center in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Vincom Shopping Center in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Ba Thien Hau Temple in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and after (right) it stopped receiving visitors from March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Nguyen Cong Thanh - Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Ba Thien Hau Temple in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam before (left) and after (right) it stopped receiving visitors from March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Nguyen Cong Thanh - Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Fewer vehicles (right) are seen on Saigon Bridge, which connects Binh Thanh District and District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during the COVID-19 epidemic compared to before (left). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Fewer vehicles (right) are seen on the Saigon Bridge, which connects Binh Thanh District and District 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, during the COVID-19 epidemic compared to before (left). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Business has become much slower at Ho Chi Minh City’s iconic Ben Thanh Market in District 1 during the COVID-19 epidemic (right) compared to before (left). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Business has become much slower at Ho Chi Minh City’s iconic Ben Thanh Market in District 1 during the COVID-19 epidemic (right) compared to before (left). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on a regular weekend (left) and nearly empty on March 22, 2020 (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam on a regular weekend (left) and nearly empty on March 22, 2020 (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Traffic congestion (left) that was common at the Lang Cha Ca Intersection in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is no longer an issue during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

Traffic congestion (left) that was common at the Lang Cha Ca Intersection in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam is no longer an issue during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Truc Phuong / Tuoi Tre

In Hanoi:

A sharp decrease in the number of commuters on Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam is observed before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Hoang Dong - Danh Trong / Tuoi Tre

A sharp decrease in the number of commuters on the Long Bien Bridge in Hanoi, Vietnam is observed before (left) and during (right) the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Hoang Dong - Danh Trong / Tuoi Tre

Traffic congestion (left) that was common at Chua Boc-Thai Ha intersection in Hanoi, Vietnam is no longer an issue during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Traffic congestion (left) that was common at Chua Boc-Thai Ha Intersection in Hanoi, Vietnam is no longer an issue during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Nam Tran / Tuoi Tre

Ta Hien ‘backpacker’ street in Hanoi is crowded with visitors on a regular night (left) and completely empty (right) during the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Linh Viet - Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

The Ta Hien ‘backpacker’ street in Hanoi was crowded with visitors on a regular night (left) and completely empty (right) during the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Linh Viet - Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Ly Thai To Park in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam is crowded with laughter yoga practitioners (left) and nearly empty during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Hoang Thanh Tung / Nguyen Khanh

Ly Thai To Park in downtown Hanoi, Vietnam was crowded with laughing yoga practitioners (left) and nearly empty during the COVID-19 epidemic (right). Photos: Hoang Thanh Tung / Nguyen Khanh

The Huc Bridge on Hanoi’s iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake on a busy day (left) versus after is has been closed off to visitors (right) due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Nam Tran - Le Hieu/ Tuoi Tre

The Huc Bridge on Hanoi’s iconic Hoan Kiem (Sword) Lake on a busy day (left) versus after it has been closed off to visitors (right) due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Photos: Nam Tran - Le Hieu/ Tuoi Tre

A coffee shop on Thuoc Bac Street in Hanoi, Vietnam where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, previously visited during his Vietnam visit in 2016 (left) is nearly empty of customers (right) during the COVID-19 epidemic. Photo: Nguyen Khanh - Danh Trong / Tuoi Tre

A coffee shop on Thuoc Bac Street in Hanoi, Vietnam where Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, previously visited during his Vietnam trip in 2016 (left) is nearly empty of customers (right) during the COVID-19 epidemic. Photo: Nguyen Khanh - Danh Trong / Tuoi Tre

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