The Hanoi Department of Transport made the decision Saturday night after the Prime Minister decided to impose social distancing on 19 southern cities and provinces.

Buses, taxis, contract cars, tourist cars and fixed-route vehicles will have to stop operating to and from the 37 provinces and cities. The 37 cities and provinces include 14 localities to which public transportation was already stopped since July 8.

Contracted vehicles carrying experts, officials, employees and workers of agencies, industrial parks and export processing zones will be allowed to operate within these localities, the department said.

Public transportation to and from all the localities can only resume after a locality has not recorded any Covid-19 case for 14 consecutive days or until further notice.

On Wednesday, 22 checkpoints were set up to monitor people and vehicles entering the capital city as part of pandemic prevention measures.

Since April 29, Hanoi has recorded 382 Covid-19 cases, 205 of them community transmissions.