Vietnam's capital to extend COVID-19 curbs as new clusters emerge

HANOI: Vietnam's capital Hanoi will extend coronavirus restrictions until Aug. 22, its health ministry said on Friday, after authorities warned of new clusters of infections detected in the city of more than 8 million people.

Hanoi has in the past two weeks ordered people to stay at home and halted all non-essential activities, but a three-fold rise in infections has prompted the city to extend the current curbs, due to end on Saturday. The city reported 116 new cases on Friday and has recorded 2,184 cases since the pandemic began, official data showed.