New Delhi: The Odisha government on Sunday (May 30, 2021) extended the ongoing COVID-induced lockdown till June 17, 2021, in order to contain the coronavirus infection in the state.


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Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra made the announcement on Sunday, he said, "Though the positivity rate of COVID-19 has dropped in the state, we are still under the risk of the infection. Therefore, the state government has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown by 16 days."


"There will be a lockdown throughout the state with effect from 5 am of June 1 till 5 am on June 17. There will be a complete shutdown on weekends. Groceries stores and shops will be allowed to open from 7 am to 11 am in the morning from Monday to Friday. But on weekends, they will be closed," he said. 


The Chief Secretary also added that the movement of goods and services under the essential category won’t be affected due to the restrictions in Odisha. 


"During the last 25 days of lockdown, the positivity rate of COVID infection in the state has come down to around 15 percent from 25 percent. We were conducting 40 to 45 thousand tests per day till 25 days ago, but as of today around 70,000 tests are being conducted but the positive cases have not risen with the increase of the testing," Mohapatra further said.


Mohapatra said, “nine of the state's 30 districts, including Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore and Puri contribute 60 per cent of the total active cases.”


On the vaccination front, Mohapatra said 98 percent of healthcare workers and close to 100 percent of frontline workers have so far been inoculated, adding that nearly 30 percent of people who are aged 45 and above have been vaccinated in the state.


"We have procured 3.82 crore doses of vaccines through global tender," the senior state government official said. 


The state has been under lockdown since May 5, 2021. At present, the state has as many as 85,811 active COVID-19 cases.


(With Agency inputs)


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