Authorities in the central Vietnamese province of Quang Nam have decided to reinstate enhanced social distancing regulations throughout the popular tourist city of Hoi An due to complicated developments of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic.

The social distancing period in Hoi An City, home to the famous Hoi An Ancient Town, will last from 0:00 on July 31 to August 14, the Quang Nam People’s Committee announced on Thursday morning.

All residents in the city are asked to stay at home and only go outside when they need to buy food, supplies, medicine, and other necessities.

People must wear face masks and keep a two-meter distance from one another in public, as well as regularly wash their hands with soap or hand sanitizers.

Gatherings of more than two people in public places are prohibited.

Factories, production facilities, traffic and construction works, establishments providing essential services and goods are allowed to continue operating.

These facilities must ensure that COVID-19 prevention and control measures are taken seriously. All workers and employees must wear face masks at work, fill out health declaration forms, and limit their contact and communications with others.

Hoi An must suspend educational and training activities, cultural and sports events, festivals, contests, tourist attractions, historical and cultural relics, and tourist activities at local beaches.

The operations of public passenger transport must also be halted.

Aside from Hoi An City, the Quang Nam administration also implement social distancing rules in Dai Loc District and Dien Ban Town for the same period.

These enhanced social distancing measures are similar to those imposed nationwide in Vietnam in early April to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Vietnam’s COVID-19 tally was at 459, with 369 having recovered as of Thursday morning.

The country has recorded 43 community-based cases, all traced back to Da Nang, since Saturday last week, after having gone 99 days without a single local transmission, according to a Tuoi Tre News count.

Thirty-four of the patients are in Da Nang, three in Quang Nam, one in Quang Ngai Province, two in Hanoi, two in Ho Chi Minh City, and one in Dak Lak.

Among the cases in Quang Nam, two were recorded in Dien Ban Town while the other is in Dai Loc District.

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