Sri Lanka's Cabinet Minister of Health Pavithra Wanniarachchi has tested positive for COVID19 after a rapid antigen test.

The Health Minister was one of the first prominent figures in the government to consume the so-called "local cure" for the vorus, produced by a witch-doctor named Dhammika Bandara.

Wanniarachchi has been placed under quarantine pending the results of a PCR test to reconfirm the infection, BBC Sinhala service reported.

She is the 5th member of Parliament to be infected with the virus. Two of them — Wanniarachchi and Piyal Nishantha — were among the ruling party members who publicly consumed the "miraculous" local cure to encourage the public to use it.