SOUTHERN provinces in Vietnam are tightening up virus restrictions again as Covid-19 cases have started rising.
Ho Chi Minh City has already closed bars, clubs, massage and karaoke parlours after allowing them to reopen for just two days last week.
According to a Vn Express report, the city's Health Department will be coming up with Covid-19 safety protocols for businesses and services like bars, spa and massage parlours.
The province of Tay Ninh has also suspended similar establishments while limiting food and beverage establishments to not more than 20 people at a time.
Alcohol sale is also not allowed and people have to keep a distance of 1.5 meters from each other.
Other activities like sports, exercises, weddings, funerals and religious activities have also been limited to 20 people while events that require more people to attend must be approved by local authorities.
Over the last eight days, the province has recorded more than 3,800 new cases, bringing its overall total to more than 20,200 Covid-19 cases and 206 deaths.
Meanwhile, the Lam Dong People's Committee requires those returning from areas with outbreaks to test negative for the coronavirus within the last 72 hours.
Its officials and workers must also be tested every three days, among other measures.
Authorities said the number of cases has been rising in the Central Highlands province as well, mostly due to people returning from Covid-19 hit regions.
Between Nov 14 and 21, Lam Dong has recorded 518 new cases, taking its total to around 2,000.
The Express reports that Binh Thuan province had gone a step further by suspending non-essential services and requesting people not to go out between 7 pm and 5 am.
Travel to or from high risk areas are not allowed and only takeaway food are allowed.
People can only go to the market with approval papers from authorities.
The province recorded 3,482 new cases from Nov 14 to 21 for a total of over 11,700 Covid-19 cases so far with 95 deaths.
Over 92 per cent of its adult population have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine shots, while only around 33 per cent have received two doses.
Bac Lieu province, which has recorded 2,389 new cases in the last eight days, now has a total of 9,300 cases.
The province has also suspended activities and events with more than 10 people at a time either indoors or outdoors, except for offices, medical facilities and locations for Covid-19 testing.
Residents are also banned from going out between 8 pm and 4 am.
Government employees are not allowed to leave the province without approval, and cannot attend social events and parties except for weddings and funerals confined within the family.
Restaurants can only allow takeaways and operate between 4 am and 7 pm. Local authorities said they plan to provide food stamps or use other methods to enable residents to go shopping.
Non-essential services such as bars, dance clubs, karaoke and beauty parlours have also been suspended, with many Covid-19 checkpoints being set up.
In Vinh Long province, restaurants can only provide takeaways, and entertainment activities are suspended.
The province has recorded around 300 new cases each day for the past 10 days, mostly in hospitals.
Vietnam has already recorded more than one million Covid-19 cases. Out of the 20 provinces with the highest number of cases, 19 are in southern Vietnam.
The other is capital Hanoi.
The number of new Covid-19 cases has been rising to around 9,000 to 10,000 cases every day.