All trains to Da Nang, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet, popular beach towns in the central region, have been halted until the end of this month.

The southern operator has also suspended another Thong Nhat train between HCMC and Hanoi until June 16, and now only the SE7-SE8 train remains in operation.

It has ordered the spraying of disinfectants inside and outside every passenger train before departure, passengers are required to wear masks, make medical declarations and limit gatherings and traveling between carriages.

HCMC has mandated social distancing for at least two weeks since Monday following a surge in community transmission, mainly linked to the cluster at Christian congregation Revival Ekklesia Mission.

In the one week since it was first found, the cluster has been responsible for 202 cases in HCMC and Bac Lieu, Binh Duong, Long An, and Tra Vinh provinces in the south and Dak Lak in the Central Highlands.

Last month Hanoi Railway Transport JSC, the northern operator, suspended trains from Hanoi to Hai Phong City and Lao Cai Province.