Colombo, November 17: Dilip Wedaarachchi, Sri Lanka's former State Minister of Fisheries, caught reporters by surprise as he ate a bite of "raw fish" during a live press conference. The act of Wedaarachchi, which drew international media glare, was aimed at shunning away the rumours of COVID-19 transmission through seafood consumption. China Finds Strains of Coronavirus on Packaged Food Imported from Brazil, New Zealand and Argentina.

In the video shared below, viewers can see from 13:52 onwards that Wedaarachchi picks up a fish and bites a slice of it. He could be further seen chewing the raw fish meat and gushing it down through his throat.

Watch Video of Sri Lanka's Ex-Minister Eating 'Raw Fish'

The former Minister attempted to draw attention towards the plight of fishermen across Sri Lanka, who have been facing an enormous economic crisis since the surge in COVID-19 infections from October.

After the government shut down a number of fish markets that were located in areas entailing fresh coronavirus clusters, a rumour spread throughout the island nation claiming that the disease is being transmitted through seafood as well.

The fear of coronavirus spread through fish has compelled several among the residents of Sri Lanka to abandon seafood -- despite it forming a staple portion of their daily diets. The government has clarified that fishes do not act as carriers of coronavirus.

Wedaarachchi, during the same press conference, appealed the government headed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa to take immediate measures to dispel the misinformation surrounding seafood. The opposition parties have also appealed the government to provide aid to the fishermen who have been economically battered due to the pandemic.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 17, 2020 07:52 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).