Covid fears delay opening of night street zone around Hue Imperial Citadel

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh had last week ordered a ban on large gatherings during the New Year and Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays amid the worsening pandemic situation and rising concerns over the new Omicron variant.

The night zone, spanning August 23, Dang Thai Than, Le Huan, and Doan Thi Diem streets, would open once the pandemic situation is better controlled, provincial authorities said without elaborating, according to the provincial portal.

The zone, meant to attract tourists during the New Year holidays, was to open from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. every Friday and Saturday and feature food stalls and folk games and art performances.

Hue was the seat of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 until the end of feudalism in Vietnam in 1945, and the UNESCO-recognized Imperial Citadel is now a popular attraction.

The town is generally considered sleepy with little nightlife to speak of and just a few bars and cafes.

Thua Thien-Hue has recorded over 11,300 infections during the fourth coronavirus wave that hit the country in late April, and the number of daily infections has been rising in the past few weeks.