Hundreds of brides and grooms kissed while wearing blue surgical masks at a mass wedding ceremony in a coronavirus-hit city in the Philippines.

According to DailyMail UK, the 220 happy couples were mandated to wear the masks as they sealed their vows by authorities in the city of Bacolod, following fears the virus could spread.

Attendees were also asked to complete health declarations detailing their travel history for 14 days, the maximum incubation time for the virus.

Three people have been diagnosed with the deadly disease in the Philippines and one death has also been recorded. Worldwide there are more than 75,000 cases with more than 2,200 deaths declared.

Stunning pictures show the lovers attempting to lock lips through the blue surgical masks as they attend the ceremony.

The brides are dressed in white, with some having views and bouquets, while the men are wearing white shirts.

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“It feels different to kiss while wearing masks, but it was required,’ said John Paul Inventor, 39, who married his partner of seven years and the mother of their two children. “The place was jam-packed.”

The Mayor of Bacolod, Evelio Leonardia, who officiated the ceremony, said:

“If our families are strong, the city of Bacolod becomes strong too.'”

Annual mass weddings are a post-Valentine’s Day tradition in the city, with a record 2,013 couples participating in 2013.