Nguyen Van Dung, director of the central province’s Department of Tourism, and Nguyen Cong Thanh, deputy head of the Department of Tax, played golf at a course in Nhon Ly Commune in Quy Nhon with two local businessmen on July 31 and August 1.

All four came into direct contact with a woman employee of the course.

She tested positive two days later, and the four men have since been isolated.

"Binh Dinh Province had already prohibited all sporting activities in public when the incident happened, and so we will handle the violation in accordance with the law, regardless of their positions," a provincial official, who asked not to be identified, said.

To contain Covid, Binh Dinh has suspended all cultural, sports and entertainment activities in public places since June 1.

Since August 1 it has been under the Government’s Directive 15, which mandates suspension of all social events, bans gatherings of 20 people or more and 10 people or more outside of workplaces, schools and hospitals.

A minimum social distance of two meters is required in public places.

All four men tested negative the first time and are reported to be in stable condition.

The Binh Dinh People's Committee suspended Dung for 30 days starting Thursday to consider a punishment for his violation of pandemic prevention regulations. Dung was also removed from the province's steering committee on pandemic prevention.

The General Department of Taxation suspended Thanh for 14 days from Wednesday to consider and review his responsibilities in implementing regulations on pandemic prevention.

In the ongoing Covid wave that began in late April, Binh Dinh recorded its first infection in early July and the number has since risen to 259.