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Hanoi orders travel agencies to cancel tours to pandemic-hit localities

The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has ordered local travel agencies to cancel tours to cities and provinces which have recently reported new COVID-19 outbreaks.

For ongoing tours, they must rigorously take preventive measures to protect tourists  and their staff, the department said. Tourist site management boards must work with travel agencies to coordinate group tours to avoid overcrowding or mass gatherings of visitors, and to regularly check travellers’s health conditions.

The department also urged tour operators to get regular updates on the COVID-19 situation and strictly abide by authorities’ measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

Many tourism-related programmes and plans in the city for August have been postponed until further notice

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy on July 27 requested an estimated 15,000-20,000 local residents who have returned from the central city of Da Nang over the last three weeks to fill in health declarations, self-quarantine and cooperate with health officials for coronavirus testing if required.

The move came after Vietnam confirmed 15 new community infections in Da Nang and Quang Ngai province between July 25 and 27.

The health sector would take samples for virus testing at least twice for people who returned to the city from foreign countries and put them into quarantine, he said. More tests would be taken after a month if necessary.

Additionally, Hanoians were told to wear face masks in crowded places and wash their hands with sanitiser. All offices, agencies and enterprises in the city must have hand sanitiser and conduct temperature checks for everyone who enters, said Nguyen Khac Hien, Director of the city’s Health Department.

Over the last two days, the city confirmed two cases testing positive for the coronavirus. Both of them travelled to Da Nang earlier this month./
VNA/VNP


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