Healing And Homecoming

India’s oldest COVID-19 survivor couple is back home after a month-long fight with the coronavirus

- Cithara Paul

Looking at his 93-year-old grandfather Thomas Abraham, who is among the oldest COVID-19 survivors in the world, Rijo Moncy said: “Thank God, he lives in Kerala! Had he been in Italy or the United States, he would have been left to die.” Thomas had just reached his home in Ranni after being discharged from the Kottayam Medical College on April 3. His wife Mariamma, 89, was also discharged on the same day. They had spent a month in hospital.

Rijo, 26, along with his parents Moncy and Ramani, came to Kerala from Italy to meet his grandparents. But their arrival on February 29 proved to be quite the game-changer for the whole state—the family brought the second round of COVID-19 infection to Kerala. Thomas and Mariamma were infected by the Moncys. “We are so relieved that they both have recuperated well despite their age,” said Rijo. “Otherwise we would have been full of guilt. They could make a comeback only because of the care and concern shown by the state government and the doctors here. We will always be grateful.”