114-year-old Ethiopian monk could be oldest coronavirus survivor
His age puts him in a small group of people to have survived both COVID-19 and the Spanish flu pandemic a century ago.
By DONNA RACHEL EDMUNDSAn Ethiopian Orthodox Priest blesses the faithful with an incense which according to their belief will keep the coronavirus disease away, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia March 26, 2020.(photo credit: REUTERS/TIKSA NEGERI)
An Ethiopian monk may be the oldest person to have survived coronavirus, beating the disease after being hospitalized for three weeks.Tilahun Woldemichael's exact age is unverifiable as he has no birth certificate, but his family believes him to be 114 years old. If so, he could well be the oldest person so far to have survived COVID-19, edging ahead of Spain's Maria Branyas, 113, who survived the virus in May with only mild symptoms.Woldemichael left hospital on Thursday having received oxygen and dexamethasone, a cheap, widely available steroid recommended by Ethiopia's health minister for use for patients who require oxygen or ventilation.England's Chief Medical Officer recently hailed trials in the UK showing that the drug reduced death rates from COVID-19 by around a third in those with the most severe symptoms as "the most important trial result for COVID-19 so far."The supercentenarian's grandson Biniam Leulseged told the Associated Press that he was emotional when his grandfather was taken to the hospital, but is now "very happy because we are together again.” Showing AP a photograph of his grandfather celebrating his centenary, he quipped “He was looking young back then, too.”His venerable age means that he would have lived through the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918-20, which in Ethiopia is known as yehidar beshita. Between 5,000 and 10,000 people are believed to have died of the influenza in Addis Ababa alone.A number of people are now known to have survived both pandemics, a century apart. In addition to Woldemichael and Branyas is Sylvia Goldsholl from New Jersey, who celebrated her 108th birthday on December 29, 2019. “I survived everything because I was determined to survive," Goldsholl told News 12 New Jersey. Ada Zanusso, 103, from Lessona in Italy not only lived through both events but was infected both times and survived, suffering a mild fever with COVID-19. Asked by AP what got her through the illness she replied: "Courage and strength; faith."
