As coronavirus continues to take lives in China and other Asian countries, around 220 couples got married at a mass wedding in the Philippines. They exchanged vows and kissed wearing surgical masks at a government-sponsored wedding in Bacolod City on Thursday. The wedding event was attended by their family and relatives too. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19 has killed 2,236 people in China. China's Coronavirus Outbreak: How Long Can the Deadly Virus Linger On Metal, Glass and Plastic Surfaces and Infect People?

39-year-old Paul Inventor who married his partner of seven years and mother of their two children as saying, "It feels different to kiss while wearing masks, but it was required. The place was jam-packed." To be part of the wedding, people had to finish health declarations detailing a travel history for 14 days. It is the standard quarantine period across the globe for arrivals from China. "If our families are strong, the city of Bacolod becomes strong, too," said Mayor Evelio Leonardia, who officiated at the function. Coronavirus Outbreak: Here’s How 2019-nCoV Spreads in Humans; Are Animals and Pets Responsible for Transmission of Disease? All FAQs Answered by WHO. 

220 Filipino Couple Get Married at Mass Wedding:

Mass weddings are an annual tradition post-Valentine's Day in the city. In 2013, a record 2013 couples got married there. A church in South Korea which conducted mass wedding handed out surgical masks and hand sanitizers for around 30,000 people who attended it this month. The Philippines has recorded the first coronavirus death outside China. The Philippine government has also told citizens not to travel to mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. In the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan hit by the novel coronavirus, at least 636 of the ship's 3,700 passengers and crew members have been infected by the virus of which 44 are Filipinos.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2020 11:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).