Transport companies can operate 100 percent of their buses from Wednesday, double the figure regulated one day earlier, according to a Ministry of Transport announcement.

Bus stations are required to ensure passengers sit one seat or one meter apart. Buses with beds can only carry a maximum of 30 passengers, including the driver.

Most buses had only 10-15 passengers on Wednesday despite the fact a long weekend comprising Reunification Day (April 30) and Labor Day (May 1) was approaching, with station managers explaining that people are still afraid of the coronavirus, and so only travel if it is really necessary.

The transport ministry on Tuesday approved the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam's (CAAV) proposal to increase the number of domestic flights to meet recovering demand.

From May 1 to 15 the frequency on the Hanoi - HCMC sector could be increased to 36 flights a day either way, and to 52 after that, it said.

It permitted 12 daily fights from Hanoi and HCMC to Da Nang initially, increasing subsequently to 20.

Hanoi and HCMC last Thursday ended their 22-day social distancing campaign, though keeping in place restrictions on public gatherings and many "non-essential" businesses like bars and karaoke parlors closed.

Friday marked the country's seventh day without a new Covid-19 infection and the 15th day without community transmission.

The pandemic has spread to 210 countries and territories so far, claiming over 233,700 lives.