COLOMBO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi tested positive for the COVID-19 after a PCR test result came in positive on Saturday, Health Ministry officials were quoted by local media as saying.

The 56-year-old minister had undergone a Rapid Antigen Test on Friday which came in positive, after which she was instructed to self isolate at home till her PCR test results came in.

On Saturday, Wanniarachchi's PCR test came in positive, and she has now been taken to a treatment center, Health Ministry officials said.

The minister is the fifth parliamentarian and second cabinet minister to test positive for the virus in recent weeks.

Early last week, Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara tested positive for coming in contact with another state minister during parliament sessions.

To date, two cabinet ministers, two state ministers and one opposition legislator have been infected with the COVID-19.

Last week, Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that PCR tests were conducted in the Parliament premises for two days and all legislators and Parliamentary staff were subject to tests.

Four parliament staff tested positive in the tests.

Sri Lanka has to date detected over 56,000 COVID-19 patients while 278 deaths have been reported from the virus. Enditem

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