Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], April 3 : The Odisha government announced a 48-hour shutdown across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Bhadrak from 8 pm on Friday in view of increasing cases of COVID-19 in these cities.
"In the backdrop of discovery of new cases of COVID-19, the Odisha government has announced 48 hours shutdown across Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Bhadrak. Except for hospitals and selected medicine stores, everything else will remain closed," The Health and Family Welfare (H&FW) Department of the state government tweeted.
"In view of the fact that one resident of Cuttack has been found positive for COVID-19, Cuttack city is also being included under shut down for 48 hours from 8 pm from today till 8 pm of Sunday, along with Bhubaneswar and Bhadrak. We will use the time for aggressive contact tracing," Chief Secretary Asit Kumar Tripathi said.
According to an official order issued by the state's Revenue and Disaster Management Department, all offices, shops and establishments in these areas will remain closed, except, hospitals, fire, ambulance, telecom services identified by Secretary, Electronics and IT Department, petrol pumps identified by respective municipal authorities, Railways and airport for cargo operation.
In addition, water supply, station and sewerage workers of respective municipal authorities, electricity supply and distribution, medicine stores as identified by respective municipal authorities or drug controller, movement of goods vehicles, loaded or unloaded, will be open and all movement passes issued by any authority stand suspended during the shutdown.
"Any violation of this order shall entail prosecution under the penal provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 and IPC," the order said.
( With inputs from ANI )