The Temple of Literature, a popular tourist destination in Hanoi, is sprayed with antiseptic in an effort to curb the spread of COVID-19 (Photo:) tienphong.vn

Historical relic sites and tourist attractions in the capital city of Hanoi have been closed for disinfectant measures amid fears of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Hoa Lo Prison in Hoan Kiem district was closed after the city’s authorities informed the site’s management board about the visit of two British tourists on March 3 and both tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, said Director of the Hoa Lo Prison Management Board Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy.

“Camera records show that ticket sellers did not directly contact the two tourists. However, we have still temporarily closed the site for sterilisation,” Thuy said.

The Temple of Literature has been closed since March 10 in a bid to avoid the potential spread of the COVID-19, said Le Xuan Kieu, Director of the Centre for Scientific and Cultural Activities of Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam.

He said due to the impact of COVID-19, the number of visitors to the site has fallen.

The site would be sterilised to help ensure the safety of visitors, he said, adding that updates would be available on the Facebook fanpage and website of the site.

Head of the Hanoi Historical Relic Site Management Board Nguyen Doan Van said that other popular sites across the city were also closed during this time, for example relic sites at 48 Hang Ngang, 5D Ham Long, 90 Tho Nhuom, Ngoc Son Temple in Hoan Kiem Lake and Ho Chi Minh Memorial House in Van Phuc village in Ha Dong district.  

St. Joseph's Cathedral was shutting down from March 10. A notice in front of the cathedral says: “We are temporarily closed to visitors to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thank you for your understanding and we apologise for the inconvenience!”

Meanwhile, tourists visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum are requested to wear face masks. The Ho Chi Minh Museum, which is near the mausoleum, has seen few visitors. The Vietnam Military History Museum is still open to visitors./.