According to an urgent dispatch issued on April 18 by Hanoi's Vice Chair Vo Thu Ha, people are requested to wear face masks when using public transport or visiting public places including bars and dance clubs.

Specifically, mask wearing shall be compulsory for drivers, staff and passengers on public transport vehicles.

The same regulation shall also be applicable to employees who are in direct contact with customers.

In such closed areas like bars, karaoke rooms, massage parlors, beauty salons, restaurants, cinemas, employees are also required to wear masks.

At the same time, the municipal authorities will closely monitor the pandemic evolution and increase vaccination rate.

The move came after Hanoi witnessed a surge in the number of Covid-19 infections since early April. The city has also detected patients infected with the new Covid-19 XBB.1.9.1 sub-variant which is rapidly transmissible with a mild clinical course and is classified by the World Health Organisation as a variant under monitoring.

By April 18, Hanoi had nearly 120 Covid-19 cases being treated at hospitals, including 33 cases requiring mechanical ventilation. 

Over the past five days, the city recorded 96 new infection cases on average per day, the highest rate compared to other localities nationwide.

The majority of newly hospitalized cases are the elderly or persons with underlying health conditions.

Vietnam has witnessed a reoccurrence of Covid-19 cases over the past week. The country confirmed 1,522 new infections on April 18, up 491 cases from the previous day's figure. According to experts, the actual figure may be higher as many people undergo a self-test and self-treatment at home.

The Ministry of Health has asked localities nationwide to tighten preventive measures to curb the spreading of the virus, including speeding up vaccination.

Vo Thu