The decision was announced on April 26 at a meeting of the local Steering Committee on COVID-19 Prevention and Control as Viet Nam’s neighboring countries – Cambodia-Laos-Thailand have reported surge of new COVID-19 infection cases.

Chairman of the HCMC People's Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong also ordered serious punishments on those who fail to wear face coverings at public places.

Earlier, the southern metropolis planned to make 15-minute pyrotechnic displays at five venues (from 9 PM to 9:15 PM) on the night of April 30 to celebrate the National Reunification Day.

Specifically, the city decided to hold two high-altitude firework displays: one over the Thu Thiem Tunnel that links Districts 1 and 2 and another at the 81-storey building Landmark 81 in Binh Thanh District. Three other low-altitude fireworks shows were selected at the Dam Sen Park in District 11, Can Thanh Commune in the outlying district of Can Gio, and Vinhomes Grand Park at district 9.

On April 23, PM Pham Minh Chinh ordered ministries, agencies and cities and provinces’ People’s Committees to stay vigilant and drastically, synchronously and effectively implement COVID-19 prevention and control measures in an official dispatch.

The PM required the avoidance of unnecessary gatherings. In necessary cases, prevention and control measures must be guaranteed, particularly wearing masks and disinfection.   

Earlier, the city had canceled firework displays on Lunar New Year's Eve at eight locations due to COVID-19 resurgence.

For a month now, Viet Nam has not recorded any community transmission but the number of imported cases has been increasing gradually, with many returnees from Cambodia which shares long border line with Viet Nam./.