Vietnam locked down eight million people in Hanoi on Saturday, the latest attempt to curb a serious coronavirus outbreak that has already forced a third of the country to stay home. Authorities reported more than 7,000 new infections across the nation on Friday — the third record number of daily infections in a week.
The centre of the normally bustling capital was empty and shops were shuttered as the lockdown came into force, although people could still be seen on the streets in the outskirts of the city
“I think people in Hanoi as myself agree with the city’s sudden decision of locking down the city,” said local resident Nguyen Van Chien.
“We have to take economic risks to fight the pandemic,” he added.
After successfully containing limited coronavirus outbreaks last year, Vietnam has seen cases skyrocket since late April.
About a third of Vietnam’s 100 million people are already subject to lockdown orders.
But the outbreak has showed few signs of slowing and southern commercial hub Ho Chi Minh City — which has recorded the majority of recent cases — extended its stay at home order on Friday.
“I have been indoors for a month. The situation in our city is scary,” resident Le Bich Thanh told AFP.
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