105-year old woman becomes Kerala's oldest COVID-19 survivor

A 105-year old woman was cured of COVID-19 after over three-month long battle and discharged from a government hospital in Kerala on Wednesday, becoming the oldest coronavirus survivor in the state, the Health department said.

A native of Anchal town in neighbouring Kollam district, Asma Beevi was admitted to the Kollam Medical College Hospital on April 20 after contracting the virus through her daughter, it said, adding she showed "enormous strength" during the treatment.

She was also suffering from age-related ailments and her treatment monitoredby a medical board.

"Anchal-native Asma Beevi, 105, was discharged after being cured of COVID-19. She is the oldest in the state to be treated and cured of the virus," the department said in a release.

Earlier in early April, 93-year old Thomas Abraham from Rani village in Pathanamthitta achieved the feat of becoming the oldest COVID-19 survivor in the country then. Since then some centenarians have been cured of the disease in different parts of the country.

Abraham, a farmer, and his 88-year wife Mariyamma were treated at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital and discharged.

Health Minister K K Shailaja praised Beevi and said she showed enormous strength even at such a ripe age.

She also congratulatedthedoctors, nurses and other healthworkers who have been treatingelderly patients.

Kerala reported 903 positive cases, including 30 health workers, on Wednesday, taking the infection tally to 21,797, while the toll climbed to 68 with one more death.