India’s oldest COVID-19 survivor, wife discharged in Kerala

Kottayam: In some good news, India’s oldest COVID 19 couple — 93-year old Thomas Abraham and his wife Mariyamma (88) — were today discharged from the Government Medical College Hospital here amid a cheer from doctors and staff.

Hailing the discharge as a glad event, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said no words are enough to describe the care provided by doctors, nurses and para-medical staff.

The medical community in Kerala described the event as a “miracle cure.”

Thomas and Mariyamma put up a tough battle against the deadly coronavirus since their admission to the hospital on March 9, officials said.

Minutes after Thomas was taken off the ventilator, the first thing he demanded was to meet Mariyamma, nurses recounted to the media.

The doctors later shifted them to a VIP isolation ward where they could see and spend time with each other.

“They are fine now. The decision to discharge them was taken after their latest sample test also turned negative for coronavirus,” a state government official said.

The couple hailing from Ranni village in Pathanamthitta district had contracted the virus from their son, daughter-in-law and grandson who returned from Italy last month.

Thomas and his wife thanked the doctors, nurses and others as they boarded an ambulance.

“We cared for them like children during the time they were in isolation. They would occasionally throw tantrums demanding that they see each other (they were put up in separate wards initially). Sometimes, they would fight with us, get upset and refuse to sleep. Other times, they would not eat food and demand that food be brought from their house in Pathanamthitta,” senior nurses told the media.

A team of doctors, staff and trainee nurses monitored their health status every six hours.

On days, Mariyamma used to singing lullabies for the nurses on night duty.