HCM City closes discos, bars and karaoke parlours after new local COVID-19 case found

Nguyen Thanh Phong, chairman of HCM City People’s Committee, on Friday ordered karaoke venues, discos and bars to close until further notice following a new community – based COVID-19 case found on Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting on Friday, Phong said the man, patient number 2910, is from the northern province of Hà Nam and had been visiting a relative in HCM City’s Bình Tân District.

The man decided to visit a health clinic in HCM City after learning that a person with whom he had previous contact (patient number 2899) had tested positive two days upon the completion of a two-week quarantine period after returning from Japan to his hometown in Hà Nam Province.

Nguyễn Tấn Bỉnh, director of the HCM City Department of Health, said the department has traced 60 contacts of patient 2910: seven F1 (direct contacts) and 52 F2 (direct contacts with F1) cases, and one taxi driver.

Results of the first test of all of the F1 and F2 cases have been negative.

Phong said that all city districts, departments and sectors should review concentrated quarantine sites to ensure that no cross - infections occur at these facilities. People staying in these quarantine sites should not be allowed to leave early if they do not meet requirements.

All staff at concentrated quarantine facilities should ensure they are sufficiently protected, he added.

All eateries, restaurants and entertainment venues should strictly follow disease-prevention measures, including disinfection, face mask wearing, and social distancing from others.

People who do not wear a face mask in public places will be fined, and anyone who avoids making health declarations or makes false health declarations will be severely penalised, he said.

All local authorities must control and limit public gatherings, especially in crowded areas.

Dương Anh Đức, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee, accompanied the city’s COVID – 19 prevention and control inspection team on Friday to check concentrated quarantine sites at various hotels in the city.

Đức said the Department of Health must strengthen inspections of people who are self – isolating at home after completing their required concentrated quarantine period.

People entering the city from high – risk areas will be required to make a health declaration when they return to the city from their vacations after the public holidays of April 30 and May 1, he said. – VNS