India's oldest coronavirus COVID-19 survivor Thomas, wife Mariyamma discharged from Kerala hospital

In what is being called a 'miracle cure' by the health workers, a 93-year-old man Thomas and his 88-year-old wife Mariyamma have recovered from coronavirus COVID-19 after undergoing treatment at the Government Medical College Hospital in Kerala's Kottayam and have returned home.

Thomas is India's oldest COVID-19 survivor and he was discharged with his wife after their latest sample test turned out to be negative. The couple were admitted on March 9. Thomas and Mariyamma belong to Ranni village in Pathanamthitta district and the duo had contracted the coronavirus from their son, daughter- in-law and grandson who returned from Italy in March.

Oldest couple in #Kerala recovered from #COVID19, discharged from hospital. pic.twitter.com/pncjsDfHjT — Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) April 7, 2020

The couple will remain in strict home quarantine for two weeks after which they will be brought to hospital again and their samples will be taken again for testing.

The couple was already suffering from various age-related diseases like diabetes, hypertension and cardiac ailments and their condition was very critical in the first phase of treatment.

During the treatment, Thomas suffered a heart attack and his condition worsened later with the oxygen level in blood plummeting, forcing the doctors to put on ventilator. Both Thomas and Mariyamma also developed urinary infection during the treatment but the couple braved all odds to beat the coronavirus and emerged victorirues.

Kerala Health Minister K K Shailaja congratulated the doctors, nurses and other staff of the Medical College Hospital for working tirelessly to save the elderly couple. According to government, a seven-member team of doctors led the treatment and they were supported by 40 medical staff including 25 nurses.