A woman in Hà Nội's Nguyễn Khắc Cần Street fills in a health declaration form. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI — Sweeping new restrictions will be enforced in Hà Nội later today as the authorities desperately try to contain the spread of COVID-19.

The drastic measures will see the closure of all restaurants, cafes, and hair salons from noon on Tuesday May 25 in a bid to limit community infections.  

Hà Nội’s People’s Committee Chairman Chu Ngọc Anh also ordered anyone who visited other cities and provinces over the past two weeks to make immediate medical declarations upon their return.

Exercising in public places and gatherings in parks and flower gardens will also be halted.

Since the fourth wave of community cases began at the end of April, there have been 126 community transmissions in the capital city, including four new cases announced on Tuesday morning.

The municipal People's Committee has asked the Health Department to co-ordinate with the Capital Military Command and the People's Committees of all districts, wards and towns to urgently review and expand concentrated quarantine areas.

Hotels currently being used as quarantine facilities will also be inspected to make sure regulations are being adhered to. The city will gradually reduce and stop using hotels as quarantine facilities.

The Hà Nội People's Committee also requested that districts, wards and towns review pandemic prevention measures in residential areas, hamlets, households, production establishments, especially apartment buildings, hotels and student accommodation.

Meanwhile, following a spike in cases at the Times City complex, Vingroup has been asked to organise SARS-CoV-2 testing for all employees and residents.

A similar request has been made to T&T Group Joint Stock Company.

This comes after cases were confirmed at the P11 apartment block within Times City and T&T Group with the authorities unable to trace the source of these infections.

Deputy Director of the Department of Health Hoàng Đức Hạnh warned: "In the future, it is likely that new cases will continue to be recorded outside the community because of the long time the cases have been outside the community, have moved to many places, and came into contact with many people."

Thanh Xuân district authorities have also locked down 17 floors of block 17T4 in Trung Hòa - Nhân Chính with 123 flats as one positive case was reported here.

On Tuesday morning, the Ministry of Health reported 57 new COVID-19 cases, of which 45 cases in Bắc Giang Province, four in Hà Nội, four in Lạng Sơn Province and two in Hà Nam Province.VNS