Due to a nationwide outbreak of cholera and other food-borne diseases like diarrhea, health officials on Thursday said a northern Vietnamese province has banned wedding banquets in restaurants and hotels.

Nguyen Trong Quynh, chief of the provincial People's Committee, said Thanh Hoa province had imposed a temporary ban on serving food at wedding parties and funerals.

Quynh said, "People can still organize parties with wine, tea, cakes and candies."

"This is aimed at preventing the acute diarrhea outbreak in the province."

Diarrhea has reportedly downed some 24 people in Thanh Hoa province, located some 70 miles south of the capital of Hanoi, with seven patients testing positive for cholera.

Aside from Thanh Hoa, ten other provinces and cities made it to the cholera epidemic list and they are: Hanoi, Ha Tay, Hai Phong, Vinh Phuc, Thai Binh, Phu Tho, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh and Hai Duong.

Diarrhea and cholera can be acquired through contaminated drinking water and food. About 1,000 diarrhea cases nationwide have been reported, with 15 percent positive for the cholera virus.