By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, October 2, 2020: The Odisha government will continue the restrictions on reopening of schools, colleges, cinemas, theatres and religious places till October 31 despite the Centre’s latest Unlock 5 guidelines provisioning for reopening of these and more if the states so desired.

The special relief commissioner, in an order on Thursday, said all kinds of social, political, sports, entertainment, academic, cultural, religious functions as well as large religious congregations will remain prohibited in the state till October end.

All cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment complexes, theatres, auditoriums, assembly halls and other similar places of mass gatherings would continue to be shut till October 31. However, swimming pools, owned by the government, would be allowed to open for training of sportspersons from October 15.

However, the order said open air theatres and similar places would be allowed to open subject to compliance of safety protocols such as mandatory wearing of face masks, physical distancing.

The state government, nevertheless, allowed congregations of not more than 100 persons for political activities including the campaign for by polls for Tirtol and Balasore assembly seats, scheduled next month, subject to wearing of masks and adherence to social distancing measures.

The death toll due to Covid-19 infection has shot up to 875 with 16 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, official sources said. However, Odisha’s Covid death rate is 0.38% against the national average of 1.56%, according to additional chief secretary (health), Pradipta Kumar Mohapatra.

More than 2.2 lakh people in the state have been infected by the pandemic.