With 52 new cases, Odisha recorded the highest ever single-day spike in COVID-19 cases, including 43 from Ganjam district, taking the State’s total to 271 on Friday.
Of the remaining nine new cases, five were reported from Kendrapara, two from Bhadrak and one from Bhubaneswar, according to the State Health and Family Welfare Department.
Barring one case in Ganjam who had returned from Kerala, and one case in Bhubaneswar, who is a truck driver from Mumbai, the remaining 50 cases were those who had returned from Gujarat’s Surat recently.
Three IAS officers were sent to Ganjam during the day to assist the district administration in COVID-19 management.
Quarantine extended
Meanwhile, the Odisha government extended the mandatory institutional quarantine period for all those returning from outside the State from 14 to 21 days.
After completion of 21 days at the quarantine facilities, the returnees will have to remain in home quarantine for additional seven days, the government ordered.
State government’s chief spokesperson for COVID-19 Subroto Bagchi said Section 144 of the Cr. PC would be imposed at the quarantine centres at the gram panchayat level.
Social distancing
Stating that restrictions of social distancing would be strictly maintained at these centres, Mr. Bagchi said no outsider would be allowed to visit and no one would be allowed to go out. CCTV cameras would be installed at all quarantine facilities, he said.
During their stay at the quarantine facilities, the returnees would be provided 10 days’ work. Anyone willing to do works such as whitewashing of the building or cleaning of the premises would be paid wages at the rate of ₹150 per day.
Mr. Bagchi said the number of cases was likely to increase in the coming days. Those who were not ready to stay in the quarantine centres should not return to the State, he warned.
More than 46,000 Odia people working outside had returned to the State by Friday, travelling by trains, buses and other vehicles, and more were likely to arrive in the coming weeks.
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