Hanoi, Jul 24 (IANS): The Vietnamese capital of Hanoi on Saturday enforced the country's strictest social distancing measures amid the resurgence of local Covid-19 cases.

Hanoi's municipal authorities released a circular on the issue on Friday night, saying that the social distancing would go in line with Directive 16 of Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and would last for 15 days, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the directive, residents must stay at home and only go out for basic necessities such as buying food or medicines, or to work at factories or businesses that are still allowed to open.

No more than two people can gather at public places apart from workplaces, schools or hospitals. Local residents must also submit online health declarations daily.

As of Saturday, Hanoi had recorded 884 Covid-19 infections since the start of the latest outbreak in Vietnam in late April.

Almost half of those were detected since early July when local cases were registered again in the city after it went through nine days without any.