<span style="color: #222222;">In view of the covid-19 pandemic, the Odisha government has decided to keep the upcoming Independence Day celebrations a low-key affair across the state.<br />''<br />''In its guidelines issued to the district Collectors and Superintendents of Police, the government has asked them to restrict the number of guests to a bare 50 to 75 including 15 to 20 healthcare professionals. It has further advised them to avoid ceremonial march past and parade and to ensure strict adherence to the covid-19 preventive protocols like the use of masks, social distancing and adequate sanitization of the venue.<br />''<br />''Meanwhile, the state has witnessed a surge in coronavirus cases to 48796 as of the midnight last Monday with 296 deaths. However the active cases stand at 15427 with more than 6 lakh 92 thousand samples tested so far.</span><br />