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Odisha puts in place night curfew in urban areas, weekend lockdowns in 10 districts
The Odisha government also said inter-state bus operations would be suspended from April 19 while intra-state bus services will continue with limited capacity only. Only 2 passengers would be allowed in an auto and taxi while government offices will function with 50% staff.
The Odisha government on Thursday decided to enforce weekend lockdowns in 10 districts close to Chhattisgarh and stricter night curfews in all urban areas of the state as Covid-19 cases rose by over 758 per cent in the last 14 days.
Chief secretary Suresh Mohapatra said the districts of Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Balangir, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur, Koraput and Malkangiri would see weekend lockdowns from April 17 as well as stricter night curfews. These 10 districts account for more than 51 per cent of the 13,784 active cases in the state.
“The night curfew has been clamped to restrict the movement of people. There will be no restrictions on the vehicles carrying goods within the state and outside. No religious, social, cultural, academic and political gathering or procession will be allowed in Odisha, starting from Friday. The restrictions will be there till further orders,” said Mohapatra.
While night curfew in the 10 districts close to Chhattisgarh would be between 6 pm and 5 am, for the rest of the state the timing is 9 pm- 5 am.
The Odisha government also said inter-state bus operations would be suspended from April 19 while intra-state bus services will continue with limited capacity only. Only 2 passengers would be allowed in an auto and taxi while government offices will function with 50% staff.
The Covid-19 surge in Odisha has been among the highest in eastern states this month. From 394 new cases on April 1 to 2989 cases now, infections have shot through the roof primarily due to R0 of 2.14, said epidemiologists. They said if the current surge continues, then by the mid-May, Odisha would see more than 10,000 cases daily.
While the resurgence has been led by growth in districts like Sundargarh and Kalahandi, districts like Khurda and Cuttack are also fuelling the numbers. The holy town of Puri also witnessed a sudden spike registering 112 positive cases in a single day. Many servitors and their family members have tested positive for Covid-19..
With Covid-19 cases exploding in Odisha, the state government on Thursday postponed the Class 10 and 12 board examinations while the Biju Patnaik University of Technology rescheduled the semester (regular/back) examinations for the academic session 2020-21.
The Steel Authority of India Limited announced that its newly-opened Super Specialty Hospital at Rourkela with 60 ICU beds would be utilised as a Covid Care Hospital. A Covid-19 testing facility has also been set up at the Rourkela Steel Plant’s Ispat General Hospital.
The state government also plans to increase the bed strength in the Covid-19 ward of the SCB Medical College & Hospital in Cuttack from 315 to 500.
Another 300-bed Covid-19 hospital at VIMSAR, Burla would be opened within 10 days in view of the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases in western Odisha districts. The hospital will have 250 general beds with oxygen facility and 50 ICU beds.
