The People’s Committee of Tân Chánh Hiệp Ward in District 12 hands over the ashes of a COVID victim to family members. HCM City will hold a requiem in remembrance of COVID-19 victims on Friday. — Photo hcmcpv.org.vn

HCM CITY — Buddhist temples and establishments in HCM City will ring their bells, light candles, offer incense, and pray for those who died from COVID at 8pm on Friday at the Independence Palace in District 1 as part of a national requiem.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on Việt Nam Television in remembrance of more than 17,260 people who died in the city, accounting for more than 74 per cent of the total number of deaths from COVID-19 in the country.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday (November 17) in HCM City, Võ Trọng Nam, deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, said the ceremony will share the pain and loss suffered by tens of thousands of families who have lost their loved ones to the pandemic. 

It will be organised in the safest and most solemn manner. Only 100 people will be allowed to attend the event to ensure safety. 

Floating lanterns will be placed on Thị Nghè canal as part of the ceremony.

People will be encouraged to turn off their lights, light candles, offer incense, and pray for the victims at public places and residential areas.

The ceremony will be attended by city leaders and families of the victims. 

Nguyễn Hoài Nam, deputy director of the Department of Health, said of more than 17,260 people who died in the city, there were 38 children and 61 pregnant women. Three medical staff died of the virus in the city.

Hà Nội will also organise a requiem for the victims at the same time. 

Other cities and provinces will also organise requiems for the victims based on local conditions and in compliance with pandemic prevention rules.

HCM City has had about 450,000 infections since late April when the fourth and most serious COVID outbreak began.

Việt Nam has recorded more than one million cases and about 23,300 deaths up to November 17. 

More than 255 million cases have been recorded around the world, and around 5.1 million people have died of the virus. — VNS