Health ministry proposes suspending crowded Tet activities

In a document sent to the Government Office on Friday, the Ministry of Health stated the number of Covid-19 cases in the community has been rising, especially in areas with high population and traffic density.

The Omicron variant circulating around the world is also a concerning variable, despite Vietnam having recorded no such infection, it added.

Tran Dac Phu, former head of the General Department of Preventive Medicine, said essential activities for economic development and production should be sustained, while other activities could continue under certain conditions, or be suspended.

Choosing to live with the virus means there would be more cases, he added. "People should only go to places with large gatherings when it's truly necessary, avoid parties and reduce the number of people in meetings, especially in the coming times."

Vietnam has recorded over 1.5 million Covid-19 cases in the fourth coronavirus wave, with over 29,000 deaths. Both infections and deaths have been on the rise lately, with around 15,000 new cases daily.

Compared to the previous month, the number of community transmission cases has risen by 186.4 percent, and the number of severe cases, by 62.2 percent.

Tet, or the Lunar New Year, is Vietnam's biggest holiday which normally involves a lot of festivals, partying and traveling. The holiday peaks on February 1 this year.