Bhubaneswar: With the surge in COVID-19 Cases the Government of Odisha announced night curfew in 10 districts with effect April 5 as part of precautionary measures to prevent spread of virus.
State’s COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,42,224 on Saturday as 452 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
As many as 267 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 185 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said.
Accordingly Pradeep Jena Development Commissioner and Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) directed concerned District Collectors and Municipal Commissioners to issue orders for their respective jurisdictions and ensure strict compliance.
The SRC asked the Collectors to impose any further restrictions or allow activities as felt appropriate considering the local situation.
However, during the night curfew,which will remain in force from 10 PM to 5 AM, activities, ervices such as personnel of district and Municipal Administration, Police, Government Officials on duty; doctors, medical, paramedical staff (Government & private), ambulances and emergency health staff; emergency workers of utilities such as electricity, fire services, telecom, water, railways and airport, transport services, staff of IT and ITeS Companies on production of their ID cards.
Any person in case of medical or other emergency; owner,staff of chemist shops; all industrial units; all construction activities; movement of public transport, private vehicles and taxis (including cabs by aggregators like Ola, Uber, etc.) to and from airports, railway station and bus terminals, stands, stops, for facilitating movement of passengers by air, rail and road; operation of hotels and hospitality units, including their associated offices, movement of staff and associated personnel; dhabas along national and state highways, major roads for takeaway only.
Petrol pumps and CNG stations; print and electronic media identified by Commissionerate, District Police (with identity cards of respective media houses); LPG distribution, home delivery of cooking gas and associated facilities, personnel and vehicular movement and home Delivery of food, groceries, vegetables, egg, fish, meat and other essential items by restaurants and aggregators such as Zomato, Swiggy, OPOLFED, OMFED, Chilika Fresh etc have been exempted from the restrictions.
MOS Home DS Mishra said the districts bordering Chhattisgarh are reporting a high number of cases because many people from these areas had last month attended a mega cricket tournament in Raipur.
The district administrations are keeping a close watch on the people visiting Chhattisgarh, he said.
State’s COVID-19 tally mounted to 3,42,224 on Saturday as 452 more people tested positive for the infection, a health official said.
As many as 267 new cases were reported in quarantine centres, while 185 infections were detected during contact tracing, he said.
Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar falls, reported the highest number of new cases at 77 followed by Sundergarh (75) and Nuapada (71).
The state’s coronavirus death toll remained unchanged at 1,921 as no fresh fatality was reported since March 30, while 53 patients have died due to comorbidities to date.
Odisha now has 2,820 active cases, while 3,37,430 people have recovered from the disease thus far.
The state has so far tested over 91 lakh samples for COVID-19, including 26,700 on Friday, while the state’s positivity rate stands at 3.75 per cent, he said.
Even as the daily coronavirus caseload crossed the 400-mark in Odisha, recoveries also jumped to 205 on Saturday.
Khurda district reported the maximum number of recovered COVID-19 patients with 32, followed by 27 from Sundargarh, 23 from Nuapada and 19 from Cuttack, according to Health and Family Welfare department.
The state government is worried over a number of cases being reported in districts bordering Chhattisgarh, the official said.
While Nuapada reported 71 new cases, Kalahandi registered 29 fresh infections and Bargarh 19.
In view of the spike in COVID-19 cases, the Ganjam district administration modified its previous guidelines for observance of Danda Nacha, a traditional form of worship, and capped the number of participants for the festival.
In the fresh order, District Collector Vijay Amruta Kulange said the number of participants for the festival now has been restricted to 25. Earlier, 50 participants were allowed for the festival.
Informing this on his Twitter handle, the Collector further said that no culture program will be allowed during night time. The Collector has also restricted Mundan at Maa Taratarini temple and at downhill.
