HANOI, April 19 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's capital of Hanoi has updated its guidance to ask people to wear face masks in crowded public places as the number of COVID-19 infections rose to a level that makes the capital city the worst affected in the country, a local newspaper said on Wednesday.

People must wear masks on public transport which is an enclosed place with a higher risk of transmission of the virus, the Hanoi government said in a detailed advice published on Tuesday ahead of a five-day holiday starting on next Saturday.

Wearing a face mask is also obligatory for workers at supermarkets, shopping malls and outdoor wholesale markets, who constantly come in direct contact with customers.

Workers at indoor public areas such as bars, discos, karaoke and massage parlors, beauty salons, gyms, restaurants, cinemas, theaters, circuses, and gymnasiums are required to always wear masks.

Masks are also compulsory for service staff, managers and attendees at cultural facilities and tourist attractions and other public venues that draw a great number of people.

Local health authorities are advised to remain vigilant, keep a close watch on the outbreak developments, get ready for response measures, accelerate vaccinations, and strengthen pandemic safety practices at workplaces, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Vietnam has recorded a rapid spread of COVID-19 over the past month, from 278 cases in the first week of April to 2,000 cases in the second week. Hanoi has been affected the most with an average of 96 cases a day, said the city's center for disease control. Enditem

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