Coronavirus fallout: At least four districts in Odisha have imposed prohibitory orders to minimise the spread of virus

At least four districts in Odisha have imposed prohibitory orders to restrict gatherings to less than five people to minimise the spread of the COVID-19.
After Ganjam, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Balangir collectors had imposed Sec 144 of the CRPC by Tuesday evening.

Naveen Patnaik’s government had already declared it a “state disaster” even before Odisha’s first positive case.It is no mandatory for everyone coming from abroad to register themselves by dialing 104, an incentive of Rs 15,000 is being offered for those registering and volunteering to isolate themselves. Those who have entered after March 4, have 48 hours to register themselves on a portal; noncompliance is punishable.

A student who had returned from Italy on March 6 and then traveled from Delhi to Bhubanesar tested positive on Sunday. The state government on Monday estimated he had come into contact with at least 129 people in Delhi, on his way to Bhubaneswar and in Odisha. Efforts are on to identify these individuals meanwhile the private clinic he went to, on symptoms of a flue, has been shut, with its doctor and staff quarantined.

All educational institutions had already been ordered shut till March 31. Exams of up to class 9 have also been postponed and teachers asked to stay at home on standby. While all anganwadis have also been ordered shut the state has ordered for ration, eggs and morning snacks to be provided to mothers of 3-6 year olds attending at their households

The Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare department has also issued notification to make sure there is no hoarding of masks and sanitisers. District enforcement squads have since also raided certain pharmacies.

Tourists place such the Konark temple are shut, stricter measures are being imposed at Jagannath Puri temple where priests have been asked to wear masks.

Prices of poultry have come crashing in Odisa. The government’s clarified that consumption of chicken and egg did not lead to the spread of novel corona virus.

The State Election Commission has called off by-elections for zilla parishad, panchayat samiti members and sarpanchs scheduled for 24 March 2020.