Breaking News, News

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi tests positive

23 Jan, 2021

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi has tested positive for the coronavirus, reports said today.

The BBC Sinhala service reported that the Minister was found to be infected following an antigen test.

According to the BBC Sinhala service, the Health Minister had placed herself in self-isolation yesterday (Friday).

Following the antigen test the Minister conducted a PCR test and was awaiting the results.

So far four Parliamentarians, including three Ministers, had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Wanniarachchi was among those who consumed the “miracle tonic” of Ayurveda practitioner Dhammika Bandara.

Bandara had claimed that his potion will cure the coronavirus and immunize those who take it for life.

Hundreds of people have obtained the tonic from Dhammika Bandara believing it will protect them from the virus.

State Minister Piyal Nishantha, who recently tested positive for the virus, had publicly consumed the potion when it was presented to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene last month. (Colombo Gazette)

Recommended For You

Feature Image

UNP MPs call for urgent Working Committee meeting

A group of United National Party (UNP) Parliamentarians have called for an urgent Working Committee meeting. A letter signed by 26 UNP MPs has been submitted to party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe requesting him to call for a Working Committee meeting before 20 December. The fresh crisis has arisen in the UNP on who should be the party leader and who should be the UNP Prime Ministerial candidate at the next Parliamentary election. One group in the UNP has proposed that current party leader Rani

13 Dec, 2019

Feature Image

Kamal Haasan demands inclusion of Sri Lankan refugees in Indian Citizenship Bill

Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan wondered why Sri Lankan Tamils and Muslims were left out of the ambit of India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill if it was a “genuinely benevolent” legislation, the News Minute reported. “Why are Tamils who are subjected to a methodic genocide and Muslims facing discrimination, be excluded from the bill? If it’s a genuinely benevolent bill and not a vote garnering exercise, then why won’t this CAB stop to pick up stranded Tamils & troubled Muslims of Sri La

11 Dec, 2019

Feature Image

Alleged ‘white van’ driver and victim arrested

A man who had claimed to be a driver of a ‘white van’ used to abduct people and another person who claimed to have been a victim of a ‘white van’ abduction, have been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). Both suspects had appeared at a media conference organised by former Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, ahead of the Presidential election. At the press conference held on 10 November, former Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne was present with Douglas Anthony Fernando, who claime

14 Dec, 2019