The Hanoi Department of Education and Training late Monday afternoon issued an urgent announcement on closing schools after a local man tested positive for Covid-19.

"All education institutions from preschool to high school levels will close from May 4 until further notice," the department announced. "Schools will organise online classes from May 5."

Several universities in Hanoi including the Economics University and the Engineering and Technology University under the Vietnam National University in Hanoi have also announced that all classes will be organised online from May 4.

The education department in Danang City also sent out an urgent document to local education agencies at 10 pm on May 3 which said that all schools would be closed from May 4 until new notice is issued.

The central city also reported one Covid-19 patient in the community and the infection sources have not yet defined.

As of Tuesday morning, eight provinces and cities including Vinh Phuc, Ha Nam, Yen Bai, Hanoi, Danang, Quang Nam, An Giang, and Hung Yen have decided to temporarily close schools after Covid-19 community infections were reported.

Four more Covid-19 patients were confirmed on Tuesday morning including two locally-transmitted cases in Hanoi and Danang, raising the total number of patients in the country to 2,985, the Ministry of Health reported.

Hanoi closes schools from Tuesday amid complex COVID-19 evolution

Hanoi authorities have just decided to close all schools from kindergarten to high school levels from May 4 until next announcement in a latest move amid complex COVID-19 evolution.

Under the decision, schools will switch to online learning, the city's Department of Education and Training said.

Earlier the same day, the city ordered relic and religious sites, street eateries, iced tea stalls, and cafes to close doors from 5:00 pm on Monday to prevent the risk of COVID-19 transmissions.

Meanwhile, restaurants and coffee shop serving customers indoors shall have to erect dividers between seats or ensure customers are one meter apart from each other. The capital city asked these establishments to encourage takeaways.

The municipal authorities also asked all returnees to make health declaration after four-day public holiday, starting from April 30 to May 3.

All karaoke parlors, bars, discotheques and game rooms in the capital city were ordered to close from April 30.

As of 6:15 pm on Monday, Viet Nam confirmed 2,981 COVID-19 cases, including 2,549 recoveries and 35 fatalities.

Another Hanoian infected with SARS-CoV-2

Late on May 3 the Hanoi Centre for Disease Control confirmed another local resident has been diagnosed with the SARS-CoV-2 virus closely linked to two Chinese infections.

The patient, 26, living in Bac Tu Liem district, sat near two Chinese citizens on aboard flight VN160 from Da Nang to Hanoi on April 29. The two Chinese citizens were later confirmed as COVID-19 infections.

Via contact tracing, relevant agencies identified eight other locals in Bac Tu Liem, Nam Tu Liem, Hai Ba Trung, Hoang Mai and Cau Giay districts, who had come into close contact with the Hanoi patient.

Contact tracing is underway to early quarantine and test those in contact with the patient.

Earlier on May 2 the Ministry of Health issued an urgent telegram, looking for passengers on flight VN160 from Da Nang to Hanoi, after two Chinese citizens on board the same flight were diagnosed with the virus.

During the past four days, Hanoi capital has recorded four coronavirus infections, including three living in the outlying district of Dong Anh who were closely related to the coronavirus outbreak in Ha Nam province.

VGP/VOV

Hanoi, HCM City suspend non-essential services amid COVID-19

The capital city of Hanoi will temporarily shut down relic and religious sites, sidewalk eateries and beverage outlets from 5pm on May 3, in an effort to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.