Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam requested southern cities and provinces to heighten vigilance and stand ready for worse situation amid rapid surge of infections across the region. 

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam. Photo: VGP

The request was made during an online meeting with leaders of Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and its surrounding provinces on Friday afternoon.

Vu, who is head of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, also asked these localities to encourage their citizens to stay at home and only go out if really necessary.

Since the fourth COVID-19 wave began in late April, Viet Nam recorded 37,982 community infection cases in 58 out of 63 cities and provinces nationwide. HCMC is currently the biggest COVID-19 hotspot with 21,815 cases over the period.

As the pandemic situation remains complex in the region, HCMC, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, Dong Thap, Can Tho, and An Giang, Tien Giang, and Bac Lieu have put in place social distancing rules at different levels to limit the spread of the virus in community./.