By Our Correspondent
JAJPUR/BHUBANESWAR/BALASORE: With fresh cases from Jajpur and Balasore, Odisha COVID-19 positive cases reached at 89 till Friday morning. After four persons from Jajpur district were tested COVID-19 positive this morning, two more were found positive for Coronavirus from Balasore district.
As per the details, the two new cases are from Balasore district and they are contacts of earlier positive cases. While one patient is a 55-year-old female the other is a 36-year-old male.
The contact tracing and follow up action is being done, the I&PR dept said.So far, 10 positive cases of Coronavirus have been detected from Balasore.
With this, the total tally of COVID-19 positive cases in Odisha went up to 89. Of these, 55 are active cases, 33 persons have been cured and one has succumbed to the deadly virus.
Cases were West Bengal returnees and identified as 48 years old female, 70 years old female, 80 years old female and 21 years male. These four were family members of earlier positive case in Jajpur. Contact tracing and follow up action is being done, sources said.
Due to detection of a significant number of COVID-19 cases in the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore in the last few days, the Odisha Government has ordered a complete shutdown in these districts from 10 PM of April 23 to 10 AM of April 26.
The State Revenue & Disaster Management Department has issued a notification in this regard with a list of some essential services which remain functional during this 60-hour shutdown period.
All offices, shops, and establishments in the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore shall remain closed, except:Hospitals, Police, Fire and Ambulance, Telecom services identified by Secretary, Electronics & IT Dept., Petrol pumps identified by respective District Authorities,Railways and Sea-port for Cargo operation, Electronic Media identified by respective District Authorities, IT/ITES/Call Centers relating to COVID-19 management (other IT/ITES as identified by Secretary, E&IT Dept.), Water Supply, sanitation and sewerage, Electricity supply and distribution, Medicine stores as identified by respective District Authorities.
Movement of goods vehicles, loaded or unloaded, COVID-19 Tracing, Testing, Quarantine, Isolation, and Containment related movements allowed by H&FW Dept or by the respective District Authorities.Manufacturing units of essential goods and production units which require continuous process, with in-situ labour and adequate social distancing
The government also suspended all movement passes during this shutdown. “If required, fresh passes shall be issued by Collector & DM/ SP, of the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore within their respective jurisdictions during the shutdown period,” the notification read.
During the period of the Shutdown, the Sarpanch(s) of the Gram Panchayats and Authorities of ULBs shall launch a massive operation and enlist all such persons who may have come from outside the state to their respective Gram Panchayat/ ULB areas, assist the District Administration in aggressive contact tracing and render all assistance to the District Administration as required, it was directed.
Any violation of this order shall entail prosecution under the penal provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005, and IPC, the notification warned.
Further, the Collector & DM of the districts of Jajpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore have been authorized to issue any further instructions/restrictions to enforce a complete shutdown in their respective areas.
