The restrictions, banning people from leaving home between 6 p.m. and 5 a.m. the next day, will be in effect until the province completes its social distancing period, which has been set to last from July 19 until August 1.

This makes Bac Lieu, which spreads 2,570 square kilometers to house 900,000 people, the first locality in the Mekong Delta region to impose night-time restrictions as a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

A similar move announced by HCMC Sunday night also takes effect Monday, banning people from going out between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day. The southern metropolis is the current epicenter of the pandemic in the country with more than 62,000 cases.

Bac Lieu chairman Pham Van Thieu said the latest restriction was necessitated by the fact that many people were not following social distancing regulations.

All southern localities, including 13 in the Mekong Delta, had imposed social distancing measures in accordance with the government’s Directive 16 for two weeks starting July 19.

The directive requires everyone to stay at home and only go out if really needed to buy food or medicine or to work in companies that are still allowed to open. No more than two people can gather at public places apart from workplaces, schools, or hospitals.

A recent report from the Ministry of Information and Communications said Bac Lieu currently belonged in the group of localities with the worst social distancing compliance.

The provincial administration has asked local authorities to focus on measures to minimize the use of motorbikes to transport people, except for official duties, patrols and transportation of sick people to hospitals.

People on the street, especially motorbike drivers, must clearly explain the reason why they are out. If they are unable to do so, they will be forced to return home. Violations will be dealt with strictly.

In the new wave that hit Vietnam in late April, Bac Lieu has recorded 23 community transmissions. It has vaccinated more than 26,000 people and over 6,000 have got two doses.

Cases have also been on the rise in several other southern provinces.