Food products are offered for sale at a local market. Binh Tan District decided to shut down wet markets for two weeks starting today, July 1, for fear of the high transmission risk in these areas – PHOTO: TNO

HCMC – Having reported the highest number of Covid-19 infections in HCMC with over 700 cases up to now, Binh Tan District decided to shut down wet markets for two weeks starting today, July 1, for fear of the high transmission risk in these areas.

The decision was announced at a Covid-19-related meeting held in the district yesterday, Thanh Nien newspaper reported.

The leaders of 10 wards in the district were urged to monitor and order the two-week suspension on businesses, excluding supermarkets and convenience stores, along streets that do not comply with anti-virus measures in line with the city’s Directive 10.

As for the remaining streets, the competent forces were asked to ramp up efforts to monitor and tackle violators of Covid-19 preventive regulations, as well as report to the district-level government the number of residents that have yet to undergo a Covid-19 test.

Nguyen Minh Nhut, chairman of the district, asked the wards to fulfill the roles of anti-Covid-19 teams by raising public awareness over the Covid-19 situation and encouraging local residents to stay at home and go out only for essential purposes.