CoronaVirus is a challenge for human race, transgressing all boundaries – Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Mar 26.The Odisha Police on Thursday said as many as 404 cases have been registered for violation of regulations and guidelines related to COVID-19 during last 48 hours while the number of novel coronavirus positive case remained static at two in the state.

ମୁଁ ମୋର ପିଲାଛୁଆ, ବାପାମା’ଙ୍କ ନାମରେ ଶପଥ କରି କହୁଛି ଯେ; ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ ସମୟରେ ବାହାରକୁ ଯିବି ନାହିଁ। ବାହାରକୁ ଗଲେ କରୋନା ଭାଇରସ ମୋ ସାଥିରେ ମୋ ଘରକୁ ଆସି ପାରେ ଏବଂ ମୋ ପରିବାରର କ୍ଷତି କରିପାରେ। ତେଣୁ ମୁଁ ଏବେ ବାହାରକୁ ଯିବି ନାହିଁ। #MoJeebana pic.twitter.com/PE7ZYQLrpG— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) March 24, 2020

Out of the 404 cases registered, 380 cases were related to violation of lockdown norms, 10 cases related to violation of home quarantine and 14 cases on other issues related to COVID-19 incidents, said state governments chief COVID-19 spokesperson Subroto Bagchi.

Bagchi said till noon on Thursday, 164 samples were sent for COVID-19 examination and reports of all samples have been obtained.

No new positive case has been found. Therefore, the number of positive cases stands at 2, he said, adding, both of them are stable and asymptomatic.

The patients are taking normal diet supplied by the respective hospitals, he said, adding that 55 persons had come in contact with the COVID-19 patients and all have been contacted.

A total number of 4,249 persons have registered through 104 Helpline and portal after returning from abroad while 34 persons are in isolation wards of hospitals, he said.

Referring to the chief ministers appeal to the people of Odisha to take a pledge – ‘Mo Jeevan’- to keep their families safe, Bagchi said so far 10 lakh people have taken the pledge and 3 lakh people out of them have sent, the video of them taking the pledge, to the chief minister.

He also said that a helpline has been opened with phone no 0674-2620200 which will be opened from 8 am to 10 pm every day so that drivers and transport operators can approach the helpline for guidance regarding remedial action.

The government spokesperson also said that veterinary services have been included in the list of essential services.

District fisheries officers, chief district veterinary officers and urban local bodies have been authorised to issue vehicle passes for personnel involved in the supply of milk, meat, egg, fish and livestock feed.

Meanwhile, with several daily newspapers in Odisha stopping print editions and managing with digital version editions due to the lockdown, the state government on Thursday announced certain relaxations and declared newspapers as essential services.

Vehicles carrying the newsprints and newspapers are allowed to ply without any obstruction, state governments COVID-19 Spokesperson Subroto Bagchi said.

The counters selling newspapers will operate from 7 am to 8 am hawkers will be allowed to collect and distribute newspapers between 4 am and 7 am every day.

Bagchi also said that people engaged in newspaper production and distribution are advised to maintain social distancing.

He said the Information and Public Relations Department has issued advisory in this regard.

KC Swain, a leader of the newspaper hawkers, said, “We are also human beings and fear the virus. We as a community do not have any social security. Still, we are ready to distribute the papers.”

But the hawkers do not have passes to move around and distribute the papers in the city during the lockdown, he added.

“It has not been possible to reach our daily at people’s doorstep in major urban centres like Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Balasore and Dhenkanal as hawkers face difficulty in movement due the lockdown. We are selling the paper from more than a dozen of stands in Bhubaneswar,” Samaja General Manager (working) Priyabrata Mohanty said.

The challenges of coronavirus spread notwithstanding, The New Indian Express is continuing with its print and online editions in Odisha as per the management’s ethos of ensuring uninterrupted dissemination of news to the readers, said N Kaleswar Rao, AGM, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.

“The Government of India has declared print, electronic and online media as essential services. We will continue to honour our commitment to our readers,” Rao said.

Leading English daily the Times of Indias Bhubaneswar edition stopped publication only on Sunday due to the nationwide Janata Curfew, the newspaper’s circulation head of Odisha, Dilip Mohanty, said.

“Though we are publishing the edition thereafter, our circulation has come down by around 80 per cent as vendors are not lifting the papers due to the misconception that coronavirus may get transmitted through the newspapers, he said.

Patnaik urges all CMs to assist Odias stranded in nationwide
lock-down

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged his counterparts in other states to help the people of Odisha, who have been stranded in various parts of the country following imposition of country-wide lockdown.

Patnaik said the Odisha government too has made arrangements to reach out to people from other states, who are in needs.

“We understand that many may be under distress. In this regard, I would make an earnest appeal to you that any person or group of persons from Odisha stranded in any part of your state may please be assisted with basic food, accommodation, security etc,” Patnaik wrote to all the chief ministers.

“I will be very grateful if this message is passed to all the district collectors of your state. Odisha will bear whatever cost is needed for their safekeeping,” Patnaik said in the letter.

The chief minister said the Odisha government too has directed all the district collectors to assist people hailing from other states. The cost incurred will be met from the Chief Minister”s Relief Fund, Patnaik said.

Coronavirus has been a challenge for the human race, transgressing all boundaries, he said.

“We as a country are jointly fighting this invisible enemy with collective resolve. We have taken an unprecedented but very much needed step to stop progress of this pandemic- our country is under lockdown for 21 days,” the chief minister said.

When a step of this magnitude is taken, even with all precautions, some people – pilgrims, students, workers or professionals – may be standard across the country away from their homes, he said.

Though a monitoring system has been put up to coordinate in this regard, Patnaik requested the chief ministers to inform him directly, if needed. PTI