Bhubaneswar, May 3 (IANS): The Odisha government on Sunday classified Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and three districts as red zone in view of COVID-19 outbreak.

Bhadrak, Balasore and Jajpur, which have reported maximum number of positive cases, have been categorised as red zone.

While BMC has been placed in red zone and the rest of Khurda district is categorised as orange zone.

As many as 11 districts have been placed under organe zone and 16 districts under green zone.

Additional Cchief Secretary P.K. Mohapatra said this in a letter addressed to all the district collectors, and municipal commissioners.

The classification of zones were made effective for the week commencing from May 4, based on the guidelines formulated by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Following the Ministry of Home Affairs order, the Odisha government on Sunday extended the lockdown in the entire state for a further period of two weeks and laid down guidelines for strict implementation with effect from May 4 to May 17.

The new guidelines will be applicable based on the risk profiling of the districts into red (Hotspot), orange and green zones.