Authorities in Quang Nam Province, located in central Vietnam, on Wednesday decided to continue temporarily closing non-essential businesses, crowded activities and inter-provincial commercial transportation routes amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

The decision took effect in the entire province from 0:00 am Thursday, prolonging a previous similar order that had come into force from July 29.

Accordingly, bars, pubs, Internet shops, karaoke and massage parlors, beauty salons, cinemas, theaters, and discos in Quang Nam, home to Hoi An Ancient Town, must be shut down.

The province also banned lottery street vending as well as all commercial transportation, contracted passenger services, taxis, and public bus routes between the province, Da Nang – the country’s biggest COVID-19 hotbed at the moment – and the neighboring province of Quang Ngai, except in special cases for public services.

Public transportation within Quang Nam is permitted to continue normal operations as long as all safety measures are ensured.

Driving schools in Quang Nam will also be closed, as well as tours bringing visitors from and to Da Nang and other areas affected by COVID-19.

Accommodation facilities in the province must not welcome guests from Da Nang and COVID-19-affacted areas.

Festivals, religious ceremonies, and other cultural events, as well as tourism sites cannot host more than 20 people at a time.

In addition, a new point in Wednesday’s order compared to the previous one is that tutoring centers are suspended as well.

The suspension will last until further announcement from local authorities.

Organizations or individuals failing to comply with the order will be handled as per regulations.

Quang Nam has logged 79 COVID-19 cases and five fatalities since July 25, when the detection of a 57-year-old male patient in Da Nang ended Vietnam’s streak of 99 days without transmission in the community.

In Da Nang, 296 people have since caught the viral disease while 12 patients have died.

The central city has been implementing social distancing regulations since July 28 in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Vietnam’s infection tally now sits at 883 cases, with 421 recoveries, and 18 deaths.

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