Italian gran, 104, who survived Spanish flu pandemic becomes world’s oldest person to overcome coronavirus
A WOMAN of 104 has become the world’s oldest person to survive coronavirus.
Italian Ada Zanusso is on the mend after fighting off the killer bug.
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Amazed doctors have hailed her recovery a “great joy and sign of good hope”.
Ada fell ill at her nursing home at Biella in northern Italy on March 17.
The virus has killed 20 fellow residents.
She was vomiting, feverish and struggling to breathe and a hospital test confirmed it was coronavirus.
Giampiero, one of her four sons, said: “I suspected it was coronavirus because of the number of cases at the care home.
“They have sadly had a few fatalities there.
“But she has now recovered well and the doctors think she is the oldest person in the world to recover.”
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Ada also survived the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 to 1920.
Her doctor, Carla Furno Marchese, added: “She is up and about and not lying in bed and she can walk to her chair.
“She has lost none of her lucidity and intelligence.
“Her recovery is a great joy for us and a sign of good hope for all that are suffering in these difficult days.”
Two women of 103 have recovered previously — Zhang Guangfen, of Wuhan, China, and an unnamed Iranian.
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Great-gran Rita Reynolds, from Liverpool, is believed to be the oldest Brit to battle back, aged 99.
She fell ill last month and was diagnosed with coronavirus.
Her family had been warned to expect the worst as her condition deteriorated.
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