Coronavirus: 48-hr total shutdown in Bhubaneswar, Bhadrak from 8 pm today

Intensifying its battle against Covid-19, the Odisha government announced a 48-hour total shutdown, akin to curfew, in the state capital Bhubaneswar and Bhadrak town from 8 pm on Friday, the state's top official said.

All shops selling essential commodities will remain closed during the period, Chief Secretary A K Tripathy said.

Only select medicine stores will be open.

Of the five Covid-19 cases detected in Odisha so far, four are in Bhubaneswar and one in Bhadrak.

Covid-19 patient in Odisha recovers, discharged from hospital

Odisha's first Covid-19 patient, a 33-year-old Italy-returned researcher, was on Friday discharged from the hospital, having recovered from the viral infection, a state health department official said.

The man, who was admitted to the hospital with coronavirus infection on March 15, tested negative for the disease twice in a span of 24 hours, he said.

Taking to Twitter, the state Health and Family Welfare Department congratulated the doctors and staff at the hospital, where he underwent treatment.

"The first COVID-19 positive case, belonging to Bhubaneswar who is being treated at Capital Hospital has recovered and tested negative to COVID-19," it said.