Elderly couple in kerala test negative in Kerala

: In an achievement in its battle against the coronavirus pandemic, an elderly couple, aged 93 and 88 who had tested positive and remained critical for days, have recovered completely, the Kerala government said on Monday.

Hailing from Ranni in Pathanamthitta, the aged people were parents of a man who came down from Italy along with his wife and son and tested positive for the disease early this month, the government said in a press release.

The aged couple had caught the disease after coming in contact with them and had been admitted to the Kottayam Medical College hospital.

They were already suffering from various age-related diseases and their condition was very critical in one phase of the treatment, a health department statement said here.

The expert treatment and care, given at the Kottayam Medical College, had brought them back to the life, it said, adding that health minister K K Shailaja congratulated all those toiled hard for their recovery.

Along with the seven-member team of doctors who led the treatment, 40 medical staff, including 25 nurses were actively took part in various stages of treatment, it said.

At present, their condition is satisfactory and the doctors said they would be discharged soon.

Their grand daughter and husband, who were tested positive of the virus, also recovered from the disease the other day.

A nurse, who took care of the elderly patients, tested positive for the deadly virus.

The minister spoke to the nurse and said the health department were fully with her.

Earlier, in the day, five family members of the elderly couple, including their son Abraham Moncy, wife and son, who had returned from Italy, had been discharged from Ranni district hospital after testing negative.

At a time when those above 60 are considered high risk category, the elderly couple, getting cured is an achievement for the Kerala government.

The three member family of Abraham Moncy, who had returned from Italy in February and two other relatives had tested postive and were in the isolation ward of the general hospital here since March 6.

They left for home on Monday after their samples returned negative.

The five from Ranni were given a warm send off by the hospital staff, including doctors, nurses and other medical staff who treated them for 24 days.

Their doctors, Dr Ashis Mohan and Dr Sharat said the five patients have been sent home after their tests were negative.

They will be in strict home quarantine for two weeks.

After which they will broght in our ambulance and their samples will be taken again for testing for being 200 per cent sure that they have fully recovered, they said.

Profusely thanking the entire medical staff on behalf of his family, Lijo Moncy said he was grateful to the government, the doctors and medical staff who took good care of them.

"We had tension, My father was given counselling....I have only words of thanks to all the staff who took good care of us."