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Belagavi, Mar 16: Despite issuing an order banning large gathering, including lavish weddings, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa attended the grand marriage celebrations of the daughter of BJP MLC Mahantesh Kavatagimath in Belagavi on Sunday.

The Chief Minister had advised people to postpone weddings till the COVID-19 scare passed off, or to restrict the number of guests to around 100. But the wedding on the lawns of Shagun gardens in the Udyambag industrial area in Belagavi had many more times the number of visitors.

A police officer on duty at the venue estimated the crowd to be over 3,000.

The large gathering was in clear defiance of the government order and the Chief Minister’s appeal. But Mr. Yediyurappa’s presence seems to have vindicated this act.

Hundreds of cars were parked on both sides of the Khanapur road, outside the venue which was decorated with flowers, buntings, rolls of paper and colourful cloth. Two huge banners about preventing the spread of COVID-19 have been put up at the venue. There are wash basins at two ends and several hand sanitiser counters across the ground.

Apart from Union Minister of State for Railways Suresh Angadi, and ministers Srimanth Patil and MLA Mahesh Kumthalli, there were several leaders from the BJP, the Congress and the JD(S) who attended the marriage. There were some officers from the city corporation and district administration among the guests.

The Chief Minister arrived around 11 a.m. and stayed for nearly an hour at the venue. He left after wishing the couple and greeting some leaders.

On his arrival, at the Sambra airport, Mr. Yediyurappa said the State was well-equipped to handle the spread of the infection. “Over one lakh have been tested. Among the 100 suspected cases, the virus was detected only in six persons. One person has died. But otherwise the situation is under control. Officers are working round the clock,’’ he said.

Bengaluru, May 4: A total of 37 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours in Karnataka taking the total number to 651, State Health Department said on Monday.

"Thirty seven new coronavirus positive cases have been confirmed in Karnataka from 5 pm yesterday to 5 pm today. The total number of cases in the state stands at 651," the department said.

The total number of cases includes 27 deaths and 321 persons who have been discharged. Of the remaining 302 cases, 296 patients are in isolation in designated hospitals and six patients are in ICU.

India has registered 2,553 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and the total number of cases now stands at 44,532.

Mangaluru, Mar 24: With four new coronavirus positive cases reported, surveillance against people coming out of their houses and wandering around in public places has been intensified in the coastal city of Mangaluru today.

With today's addition, the total number of positive cases of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has increased to five in Mangaluru.

All the four new patients are said to be Keralites. Among them three are undergoing treatment at Wenlock Hospital and another one in KMC Hospital.

There will be total restriction in place for the public to step out of their houses. Those who are found outside on the streets would be arrested, caution the district authorities.