Sri Lanka's former State Minister of Fisheries Dilip Weddarachchi undertook a bizarre task to urge citizens to keep purchasing fish without the fear of coronavirus transmission.
In a viral video Weddarachchi is seeing biting and eating a slice of raw fish to assure people that fish are safe to consume.
While addressing a media conference at the Opposition Leader’s Office, the former minister reportedly took a bite of the 'fresh, raw' fish and the act was aimed at shedding light on the plight of the country's fishing community, which got adversely affected due to the coronavirus outbreak.
He further said that it was the duty of the Government and the Health Ministry to advise the public in this regard, reports News Wire.
A still of the minister consuming the raw fish was also shared on Twitter by a journalist named Dasuni Athauda.
Former Fisheries Minister eats raw fish in a bid to urge the public to purchase fish without fear of COVID-19 transmission. #lka #SriLanka #COVID19 #COVID19SL pic.twitter.com/0s9JBWcpRM
— Dasuni Athauda (@AthaudaDasuni) November 17, 2020
Not surprising, the video garnered a series of shocking reactions from netizens, who were stunned at the minister's gut. Jokes such as "Sushi on budget" to "Some times politician become viruses" flooded the post.
May be he is sushi fan
— zahir shah (@zahirsha111) November 17, 2020
Seriously, wtf is going on in this country! pic.twitter.com/A87XS7a1Qk
— MS (@MaqsoodSamoon) November 17, 2020
Sushi on a budget
— Lomitha (@Lomitha3) November 17, 2020
Virus is eating raw material culture
— ᵗʰᵉϲɑԵ.. MℰℰℰᎯᎯᎾᏇ (@21stRainbow) November 17, 2020
Coconut minister climbed to a tree now fisheries minister eats raw fish. Something appreciable
— Yunoos Hassan (@YunoosHassan) November 17, 2020
— Roshen Shermal (@roshen_shermal) November 17, 2020
When you watch too much of Man Vs Wild!
— Nadeera Wijesinghe (@Nadeerawije) November 17, 2020
Earlier, in October Sri Lanka’s main fish market was closed and a curfew widened as a COVID-19 outbreak grows. The government imposed the curfew in parts of the capital and some areas outside Colombo after earlier isolating at least six villages in Western province where the new cluster was discovered.
Health authorities also temporarily closed the island nation’s main fish market after 49 traders tested positive. Hundreds of other traders at the market on the outskirts of Colombo are being tested for the coronavirus. infections have been connected to the cluster first tied to a garment factory and which authorities identified as Sri Lanka’s first community outbreak in two months.
Schools and key public offices have been closed, public gatherings banned and restrictions imposed on public transport. Sri Lanka has reported a total of 5,811 confirmed cases with 13 deaths since March.
( with inputs from agencies)