Jul 24, 2021 - World

Lockdown issued in Hanoi due to COVID-19 surge in Vietnam

Vietnam announced a 15-day lockdown on Friday in capital city Hanoi amid a surge in coronavirus cases, AP reports.

The big picture: On Friday, Hanoi reported 70 confirmed infections, the city’s highest, part of a record 7,295 cases in the country.

The lockdown order in Hanoi bans gatherings of more than two people in public and only government offices, hospitals and essential businesses can stay open, per AP.
Nearly 5,000 of the country's cases are from Vietnam’s largest metropolis, southern Ho Chi Minh City, which has issued a lockdown until Aug. 1.