With Covid surge unabated, Odisha may continue restrictions in Unlock 2

Odisha Government’s limited Unlock 1 is set to end on June 30 but the rising count of Covid-19 may prompt it to stick to the restrictions well into end of July.
A man guards shops at Unit-1 market in Bhubaneswar | Express
A man guards shops at Unit-1 market in Bhubaneswar | Express

BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Government’s limited Unlock 1 is set to end on June 30 but the rising count of Covid-19 may prompt it to stick to the restrictions well into end of July. On June 6, the Government enforced weekend shutdowns in Khurda, Ganjam, Balasore, Bhadrak, Balangir, Puri, Nayagarh, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Jajpur.

Although the decision to go against complete re-opening of the sectoral activities through restrictions has worked for the State, there are districts that have remained areas of concern. As many as 10 districts are in the red zone and account for about 70 per cent of the total tally.While Balangir has dropped out of the 11 districts list, Gajapati has now added itself with a sudden spurt in cases. From 61 cases on June 6 to 427 by Friday, the tribal-dominated has registered a 600 per cent jump and emerged as a worry. It has now started to enforce shutdowns. So has Ganjam.

Of the 6,350 Covid positive cases reported in the State till Saturday, Ganjam alone accounts for 19 per cent of the load. Its tally has risen by about 90 per cent in last three weeks. Despite extended shutdowns announced by the district administration, the case load has continued to rise. The district saw return of over 2.59 lakh migrant workers who were quarantined in temporary medical camps. It was also the first to launch door to door screening facility but with limited results.

Bhubaneswar continues to be a major headache with a sudden spurt in case load. Return of migrant workers into slums has pushed the numbers while the municipal corporation has struggled with screening the returnees as well as enforcing the quarantine. The Capital City has reported the maximum number of frontline healthcare workers infected by the virus.

While case load rises, reliable sources said, lack of social distancing may force the Government to maintain shutdown on Saturdays and Sundays. Even during Unlock 2, malls and gyms may remain closed and temples and other places of religious congregation will not be allowed to be open till July 31. Schools and colleges will remain closed till July 31 but there could be an easing of night curfew. The Government, however, may open hotels and restaurants with strict enforcement of Covid-19 guidelines as any further delay will have a severe impact on the hospitality sector.However, in districts where the case load is very low, relaxations are likely to be allowed. Curfew hours may be relaxed by some hours.

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The New Indian Express
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