95-year-old woman in Italy recovered from COVID-19 ‘without any antiviral medication’

The woman, Alma Clara Corsini, from northern Italy, was only given antibiotics by the doctors. She was discharged from the hospital on 20 March.

95-year-old Alma Clara Corsini, who was discharged from hospital on 20 March | Twitter | @FMCastaldo

New Delhi: A 95-year-old woman in Italy has recovered from coronavirus, providing  some hope and positivity in the country that has witnessed over 6,000 deaths due to the highly infectious disease so far.

The woman, Alma Clara Corsini, from Fanano, a municipality in the northern Italian province of Modena, was hospitalised on 5 March after she tested positive for COVID-19.

Two weeks later, on 20 March, the woman was discharged from the hospital. 

Despite her advanced age, the woman reportedly recovered from the disease without any help from antiviral medication.

Corsini’s doctors told a local Italian newspaper Gazzetta Di Modena that antiviral or anti-inflammatory drugs would have been too strong for her, considering her age.

The doctors, therefore, decided to just give her antibiotics. Nine days after she tested positive, Corsini was tested again and the results came back negative.

While speaking to the aforementioned newspaper, Corsini said: “They told me that I still have a strong physique and despite my years I still defend myself well.”

Corsini has now returned to her retirement home in Fanano. All her contacts, including her roommate, have tested negative for COVID-19.

She exhibited coronavirus-like symptoms at the retirement home in Fanano, and the doctors, who sent her to the hospital, were initially concerned that she might be anaemic too.

Coronavirus in Italy

According to media reports, Governor of Lombardy region of Italy, Attilio Fontana, signed a new order Saturday, which has now banned all outdoor exercise, including individual running and bike rides.

The northern region of Italy has borne most of the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic.

The region was one of the first areas to be put under lockdown.

The country’s death toll is largest in the world and has now surpassed China, which was the epicentre of the outbreak.

Why older people are at greater risk from COVID-19

Older people are especially more vulnerable to coronavirus due to both physical and social reasons.

They usually don’t have a strong immune system as they are likely to have health conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, diabetes or kidney disease.

This, in turn, weakens their body’s ability to fight infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

The elderly might also have isolation or mobility challenges. So because they’re isolated, they can’t get information about what to do to avoid the disease. Additionally, in many societies, seniors are more likely to live in poverty, which makes it more difficult for them to get the things they need and to take care of themselves.

There’s a direct correlation between mortality and age. So if you’re 60 to 69, the mortality rate is at 3.6 per cent. At 70 to 79, it’s eight per cent. And if you’re 80 or above, it’s 15 per cent.