Sri Lankan man who claimed he could end the country's covid outbreak with blessed water dies of coronavirus after refusing vaccine

Eliyantha White, a Sri Lankan shaman who claimed he could end the country's covid outbreak with 'blessed' water has died of the virus. 

Back November, the 48-year -old, claimed he could end the pandemic in Sri Lanka and neighbouring India by pouring pots of his 'blessed' water into rivers.

The spiritual healer treated sports stars and top politicians including the country's prime minister. 

His family said he had refused the coronavirus vaccine. He fell ill with the virus this month and was taken to hospital in Colombo where his condition worsened and he died on Wednesday, September 22. 

His body was cremated at Colombo's main cemetery on Thursday in line with quarantine regulations. 

Sri Lanka's former health minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi endorsed the water treatment, but was infected with covid two months later and ended up in a hospital intensive care unit.

Mr White attracted international attention in 2010 when legendary Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar publicly thanked him for treating a knee injury, saying it helped him hit the first-ever one-day international double century against South Africa.

In a 2010 interview with news agency AFP, he claimed he had 'special powers' since the age of 12.