Megastar Amitabh Bachchan on Monday was heavily criticised for one of his tweets, which claimed vibrations from clapping, blowing conch shells as part of Sunday's Janata Curfew would have reduced or destroyed coronavirus potency as it was 'amavasya', the darkest day of the month.

 COVID cases in India rose to 415, Union health ministry said as much of the country locked down on Monday with the Centre warning of legal action against those violating the restrictions enforced to curtail the pandemic, which has claimed more than 14,500 lives globally.

With a total lockdown enforced in Dakshina Kannada district to check the spread of coronavirus, the city wore a deserted look on Monday with only a few vehicles plying on the roads.

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said on Monday the government would take a decision on whether to shut down all commercial activities, barring essential services, in the entire state by this evening.

The United Arab Emirates, home to the world's busiest international airport, announced early on Monday that it was suspending all passenger and transit flights for two weeks to stymie the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Karnataka government on Monday decided to purchase 1,000 ventilators from medical devices company Skanray Technologies and five lakh Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), amid rising COVID-19 cases.

The Centre has asked state governments to strictly enforce lockdown and take legal action against violators, according to an official statement on Monday.

The Supreme Court on Monday said it was mulling over shutting down its functioning and considering to hear urgent matters through virtual means.