Da Nang fines over 400 for flouting social distancing rules

Most of the violations were related to gathering in groups and not wearing masks in public, the Da Nang Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention said on Wednesday.

Nine people were found partying and using drugs in a house on Le Huy Cat Street at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday.

In Son Tra District, 12 people were caught using drugs, partying and street racing on Tuesday.

Authorities have collected total fines of VND497 million ($21,500).

Da Nang, a tourism hotspot with around 1.1 million people, initially announced a 15-day social distancing period starting on July 28 amid rising numbers of new Covid-19 infections.

People were required to stay home except for special cases, public gatherings were limited and non-essential services like amusement parks and beauty and karaoke parlors were closed, among other measures.

The city then decided to extend the period indefinitely, with people told to go to the market only once every three days. Each family has been given five coupons to use over the 15 days to prevent large gatherings at markets.

On July 25 Da Nang became the first place in over three months to record local Covid-19 transmission.

Since then the city has reported hundreds more cases, making it the Covid-19 epicenter of Vietnam.

Cases have also been reported in 13 other localities, though all associated with the Da Nang outbreaks.

Vietnam has had 883 Covid-19 cases so far, 456 of them active and 18 dead.