By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, Jun 01, 2020: Odisha on Monday announced a complete shutdown on weekends this month in 11 of its 30 districts, where Covid-19 positive cases are going up in a bid to contain the infectious disease spreading.

The state on Monday posted the highest single-day spike of 156 cases and the overall tally stood at 2,104.

The 11 districts, where all services would remain shut on Saturdays and Sundays in June except for hospitals, nursing homes, medicine stores, and petrol pumps are Khurda, Ganjam, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, and Bolangir.

Of the 11 districts, the state capital Bhubaneswar, Khurda, Ganjam and Kendrapara account for 75% of the 2,104 Covid-19 positive cases.

Speaking to media persons, chief secretary, Asit Tripathy attributed the spike in Covid-19 positive cases to the return of the stranded migrant people to the state since March 25. More than 4.26 lakh migrant workers have returned to Odisha of whom 2.49 lakh are still lodged in quarantine centres. Over 95% of the Covid-19 positive cases have been reported among migrant returnees.

The state reported the first 1,000 Covid-19 positive cases in 67 days, and the next 1,100 were recorded in only 11 days following the return of migrant workers.

The state government has virtually bypassed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs’ order issued on Saturday evening by closing down the opening of the places of worship till June 30.

For the first time since decades, the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath and his siblings in Puri will be held without the participation of any devotees, and the doors of the Lord Jagannath shrine would remain closed till the first week of July, when the chariot festival concludes, according to the state government’s tweaked guidelines.

The government also made it clear that the schools, colleges, and coaching centres would remain closed till July 31. Similarly, shopping malls, cinema halls, gymnasiums, and swimming pools would remain closed till June 30. However, hotels can function with 30% of their capacity, while restaurants would be open to in-house guests and also allowed to operate their takeaway services.

Though the centre had allowed the business operations to continue till 9 PM, the state government has decided not to ease the lockdown restrictions on night curfew, which will continue to be enforced between 7pm and 5am.

The government also raised the penalty for people not wearing face masks and spitting in public places.