Bhubaneswar, March 24 (IANS): The Odisha government on Tuesday directed the transferred government employees to join at their place of posting within 48 hours.

Action will be taken against those who don't follow the orders, said Subroto Bagchi, Odisha government's chief spokesperson.

Besides, the state government has directed that employees who feel unwell due to symptoms of novel coronavirus should leave workplace and avail home quarantine for a period of 14 days.

It has been decided to grant commuted leave without production of medical certificate to those officials who are above 50 years of age and have underlying conditions like diabetes, respiratory problems, renal disease, heart disease and other life-threatening illness for a period up to April 4.

Bagchi said the government has issued an order for immediate stoppage of all construction works across the state except construction work for health facilities and works related to COVID-19.

It has empowered all the district collectors and all municipal commissioners, all executive officers of urban local bodies, as the case may be for home delivery of pensions and PDS to the beneficiaries, he added.

As on 12 noon Tuesday, 110 samples were sent for COVID-19 examination and reports of all the samples have been obtained. No new positive case found.

There are two positive coronavirus cases in Odisha as of now, Bagchi said.