In order to contain the spread ofCoronavirus, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday ordered anear-total lockdown of 5 districts and 8 towns including the State capital fora week.

According to the notificationissued by the State Health and Family Welfare Department, more than 3000 peoplehave returned to Odisha from foreign countries and registered themselves in theCOVID-19 portal. A majority of these returnees are from six revenue districts,it was learned.

Therefore the State Government hasimposed a lockdown in the territorial jurisdiction of revenue districts ofKhurda, Cuttack, Ganjam, Kendrapada, Angul and the municipal jurisdiction ofPuri, Rourkela, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda, Balasore, Jajpur, Jajpur Road andBhadrak from 7 am on Sunday, 22nd March 2020 to 9 pm on 29th March 2020.