The social distancing period is imposed under Directive 16, which lays out the strictest conditions for such campaigns. Residents are required to stay home and only go out for basic necessities such as buying food or medicines or to work at factories or businesses that are allowed to open.

People must stay at least two meters apart from each other, and no more than two people can gather at public places apart from workplaces, schools or hospitals.

The majority of public transportation will be shut down and there will be no travel to other localities.

The decision was taken by the provincial People's Committees following rising numbers of coronavirus infections.

Dong Nai, an industrial hub bordering HCMC and home to 3.2 million people, has recorded 128 cases so far in the new Covid-19 wave. It will apply the social distancing for 15 days.

Khanh Hoa’s social distancing orders will apply to Nha Trang Town, Ninh Hoa Commune and Van Ninh District, home to hundreds of thousands of people, for 14 days. The three aforementioned areas account for 140 of the province’s current total of 144 cases.

Dong Nai and Khanh Hoa are the latest localities in Vietnam to impose social distancing measures in the face of the fourth Covid-19 wave to hit the nation. Other localities where such measures have been applied include the southern Binh Duong, Long An and Tien Giang.

As of Thursday night, the fourth Covid-19 wave has reached all 19 localities in southern Vietnam, the latest of them being Hau Giang, which has recorded one case.

HCMC, now the nation's largest Covid-19 hotspot with 9,066 cases, recorded 915 new local cases Thursday, a new high for the southern metropolis.

Since the new wave began April 27, Vietnam has recorded 20,866 local infections in 57 of its 63 cities and provinces.