24 August 2021 11:48 am
Former Minister Mangala Samaraweera has passed away from COVID-19, his family confirmed a short while ago.
He was 65 years of age and was receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
According to hospital sources, Mangala was receiving care in the intensive care unit for several days and was responding well. However he suffered a cardiac arrest on Monday night and suffered another cardiac arrest on Tuesday morning. He was put on the ventilator but succumbed to the virus.