Passengers at the Đà Nẵng International Airport. All flights to and from Đà Nẵng City have been suspended for 15 days starting from Tuesday. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — The Ministry of Transport has demanded the suspension of all flights, passenger buses and train services to and from Đà Nẵng from July 28.

The move is part of efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic after 15 community transmission cases have been found in the central region in recent days.

The suspension order will be in place for 15 days.

In an urgent message sent to authorised agencies, the ministry said all transport services to and from Đà Nẵng City would be stopped for 15 days.

Special cases such as vehicles carrying officials, patients, vehicles transporting food and necessities for COVID-19 prevention and control, and shuttle buses for workers and experts will be licensed to operate in the city.

In terms of inter-provincial routes, contracted vehicles traveling through the city will not be allowed to stop to pick up and drop off guests. The city’s Department of Transport will be in charge of proposing solutions to the People's Committee if needed.

In terms of railway routes, the North-South route will operate as normal, but not be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at Đà Nẵng railway stations.

In the field of maritime and inland waterways, all vessels from the coast to the island where departures and arrivals are in Đà Nẵng City will be suspended. The Vietnam Maritime Administration and the Vietnam Inland Waterway Department will work with the city’s Department of Transport and the city’s authority to consider special cases.

On Tuesday, Đà Nẵng City began social distancing measures following the discovery of the first locally transmitted COVID-19 infection in 99 consecutive days.

Four sections of streets surrounding three hospitals, including the general hospital, C Hospital and Rehabilitation and Orthopaedics hospital where quarantine and treatment areas for COVID-19 patients are located, have been locked down.

Đà Nẵng, one of the major attractions for domestic tourists in the past several months, had not recorded a COVID-19 case since April until the first case of community transmission was confirmed on July 25.

The source of transmission still remains unknown. — VNS