HO CHI MINH CITY (UCAN): The dioceses of Ho Chi Minh City and Ban Me Thuot, Vietnam, suspended public Masses and services on July 31 as the country’s first Covid-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) related deaths were reported. This followed a similar move in Da Nang (Sunday Examiner, August 2) on July 26 .
Two men, aged 61 and 70, died on July 31 and a 68-year-old woman died on August 1. All were from Da Nang or the ancient neighbouring city of Hoi An in Quang Nam province.
The victims were among 116 coronavirus cases reported since July 25 in Da Nang, where a resurgence was confirmed after 99 days of no new infections. Some 42 patients are in a serious condition.
The new wave of the pandemic spread to three cities and three provinces within a week—Da Nang, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and the provinces of Dak Lak, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai.
On July 31, chairperson of the People’s Committee of Hanoi, Nguyen Duc Chung urged health workers to conduct mass testing on 54,000 people who have returned from Da Nang since July 8.
He also ordered the closure of karaoke bars, bars and street food services. Restaurants and malls have to ensure social distancing of one metre between customers.
Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City, where five cases are related to the outbreak in Da Nang, closed all bars and nightclubs and banned gatherings of over 30 people to contain the spread of the virus. They asked 18,000 people who had returned from Da Nang to be tested for Covid-19.
Father Peter Kieu Cong Tung, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Ho Chi Minh City, announced a suspension of all pastoral activities and liturgical services from July 31 until further notice.
Father Kieu said people can attend online services livestreamed via the archdiocese’s website starting on August 1. He asked priests to celebrate daily Masses to pray for the world to be delivered from the pandemic soon, to limit participants to 30 and to follow preventive health measures and social distancing.
Father Kieu asked those suffering from coronavirus-like symptoms as well as those who have returned from Covid-19-hit areas to self-isolate.
Mary Tran Thi Mun from St. Martin Parish said the parish priest celebrated Masses attended by only 10 people.
Tran, who is the parish’s treasurer, said the parish would call on parishioners to make donations to support those affected by social distancing measures. She said people have cancelled their pilgrimages to religious sites in other places due to the coronavirus surge.
Bishop Vincent Nguyen Van Ban of Ban Me Thuot, in the Central Highlands, asked parishes and subparishes in the provinces of Dak Lak and Dong Xoai to stop Masses and gatherings with over 30 people to protect community health and stem the coronavirus spread.
As of August 3, Vietnam had reported 921 Covid-19 cases with 373 recoveries and six deaths.
