Da Nang has restricted local restaurants from offerring dine-in services since Friday noon and has closed a local market which was visited by a COVID-19 patient earlier this week.
The dine-in suspension came into effect from 12:00 pm on Friday and will last until further notice, as per an order issued by the municipal People’s Committee on Thursday evening.
That same evening, the Da Nang Department of Industry and Trade ordered the operator of Dong Da Market in Hai Chau District to temporarily close its doors in light of recent information revealing a COVID-19 patient had visited the market several times.
The market has closed since 12:00 am on Friday for disinfection until further notice.
Both vendors and customers whose visits to the market coincided with the COVID-19 patient's will be tested for the virus.
On Thursday, Da Nang recorded three COVID-19 cases in the community, increasing its number of local infections during the virus' most recent resurgence in Vietnam to five.
A woman buys vegetables from a stall at Dong Da Market in Da Nang City, Vietnam. Photo: Tan Luc / Tuoi Tre
Of the three new patients, one works at New Phuong Dong Club, just a few hundred meters from Dong Da Market.
Meanwhile, the other two, 61-year-old N.V.T. and 56-year-old V.T.H.D., live near the club.
T. was admitted on Wednesday to the Da Nang Hospital for Lung Diseases with a fever, body aches, shortness of breath, and a dry mouth.
T.'s COVID-19 test returned positive on Wednesday.
D., who is T.’s housemate, also tested positive for the virus.
In her health declaration, she admitted to having visited Dong Da Market on several occasions from May 3 to 5.
On Thursday morning, local authorities disinfected New Phuong Dong Club on Dong Da Street and the roads and neighborhoods around it.
There are about 60 households currently sealed off in the area.
Vietnam added one local coronavirus case on Friday morning, bringing its caseload to 3,091 patients, according to the Ministry of Health.
Recoveries remain at 2,560 and deaths at 35.
The country has been battling the re-emergence of COVID-19 since April 27 after the country had gone about a month without detecting any community transmission.
