TNI Bureau: Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Bhadrak will brought under complete shutdown (curfew-like) for 48 hours from 8 PM tonight (Friday) till 8 PM Sunday night. The decision has been taken to break the chain in affected areas.

Currently issued passes of any kind won’t be valid during that 48-hour period and everyone will have to be inside houses. They will remain suspended. No exceptions would be allowed. Groceries, Vegetable shops, Milk, Egg and Meat shops will remain closed.

A few medicine stores will be open as per the decision taken by the local administration. In case of emergency, people can call the police or ambulance. Goods Vehicles on National Highways will be allowed to run. Some new emergency passed will be issued by the police upon due verification.

Those who violate the guidelines during the shutdown period, will be penalised under the law and would be put in quarantine at government facilities for 14 days.

Earlier, 4th COVID-19 patient of Odisha was found in Bhadrak while the 5th patient with no travel history (either to abroad or any other States) found in Suryanagar in Bhubaneswar. The 5th case triggered the emergency button. The BMC had earlier sealed the entire Suryanagar area and revealed the identity of the patient.

After the 6th COVID-19 patient with recent travel history to Delhi was detected, Cuttack was included in the list of 48-hour shutdown.