"The goal of the fine is not the money but to increase people's awareness of disease prevention," Le Thanh Liem, Ho Chi Minh City's Standing Vice Chairman, said at a city meeting Monday on Covid-19 prevention.

A Saigon man in District 10 fills in a fine form for not wearing a mask in public earlier, August 5, 2020.

The city has issued fines in 21 districts, with Cu Chi District seeing the highest number of fined violaters at 123.

Since August 5, HCMC authorities have started fining people VND100,000-300,000 ($4.3-13) for not wearing masks in public.

The action follows community transmission of Covid-19 spreading to at least 15 localities in the country from current epicenter Da Nang, eight of them in HCMC. Vietnam recorded the first domestic case in Da Nang on July 25 after its 99-day streak without community transmission.

HCMC has ordered 180 bars and nightclubs to shut down starting July 31 in order to curb the pandemic. Businesses violating the shutdown order will face fines.

There are currently nine active Covid-19 cases undergoing treatment in HCMC, including eight linked to Da Nang and one imported case confirmed Monday.

HCMC currently has 1,113 people in concentrated quarantine facilities and 7,434 quarantined at home.

435 experts allowed to enter Vietnam are paying to be quarantined in designated hotels.

Of the nation's total Covid-19 count of 847, 399 have recovered, 434 are active cases and 14 died.

Economic resumption should go in line with Covid-19 prevention: committee

The resumption of socio-economic activities post-Covid-19 should be accompanied by absolute pandemic prevention, as the global epidemic is still developing in a complex manner around the world, according to the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control.

Health ministry urges enhanced Zika, dengue fever prevention

The Ministry of Health on May 25 requested provinces and centrally-run cities nationwide to enhance the prevention and control of the Zika virus and dengue fever.

Remote health check-up platform, Covid-19 prevention app launched

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended a ceremony on April 18 to launch a remote medical examination and treatment platform and Bluezone application to help the community in Covid-19 prevention and control.

People urged not to become complacent in Covid-19 prevention

Amid the complicated developments of Covid-19 pandemic in the world as well as in the country in particular, Vietnamese people urged not to become complacent in the disease prevention work.

Bac Giang’s hotlines open for question on pandemic prevention and control

(BGO) – To faciliate the people travelling to and from the organizations, agencies, industrial parks and clusters, enterprises and localities in the northern province of Bac Giang, since April 4, 2020, any question should be contacted to the hotline for support. 

Source: VnExpress