People visit the Temple of Literature on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year in Hà Nội. —Photo tienphong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội has decided to temporarily close local relic sites, including the Temple of Literature and Ngọc Sơn Temple to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The move came after an urgent legal document from the city’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department urged all relevant agencies to strengthen measures to prevent the spread of the virus during festival activities this year.

Động ordered the administration of all districts to stop festivals until a new notice was given.

He also asked to halt the welcoming of visitors and activities at historical and cultural sites to avoid crowds, the Tiền Phong (Vanguard) online newspaper reported.

Residents and visitors will need to be informed about the closures, he added.

Local authorities of districts and towns were told to monitor the implementation of the order to prevent spreading the virus and report to the department every Tuesday and Friday before 3pm, he said.

The department’s inspectors would check the implementation of the order at relic sites, he said.

Lê Xuân Kiêu, head of the Temple of Literature’s Culture and Science Centre, said the temple had suspended the sale of tickets from 3pm on Tuesday.

“We followed the direction of the ministry and the city, hoping the outbreak will be controlled soon,” he said.

The closures will not only reduce revenue but also impact travel companies, he added.

A representative of Thăng Long – Hà Nội Heritage Conservation Centre said it also temporarily stopped accepting visitors at the Imperial Citadel and Cổ Loa Relic Area from 3pm on Tuesday. The Ngọc Sơn Temple’s Management Board also followed the direction.

In a related move, Đinh Hồng Phong, deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Hoàn Kiếm said the district informed people about the postponement of pedestrian streets on Tuesday afternoon.

The postponement could last for 20 days. — VNS