R Ashwin says 101-year-old’s recovery from COVID-19 great boost to human race

The Italian man had tested positive a week ago

Ashwin likely to miss second Test against West Indies [File] Ravichandran Ashwin | AFP

A 101-year-old man from Rimini in Italy recovered from the coronavirus and was released from the hospital. He is one of the oldest persons on record to survive the virus.

Indian cricket team’s spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who has been one of the most vocal cricketers during the COVID-19 pandemic said, recovery of the patient being referred to as ‘Mr P’, is a “great boost to human race”.

The man, who was born in 1919, was admitted to the Rimini hospital a week ago after testing positive for the coronavirus.

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 21-day lockdown, Ashwin changed the name on his Twitter handle to ‘let's stay indoors India’.

“3 weeks it is…let’s stay indoors, India. I repeat the consequences of irresponsible community behaviour over the next 3 weeks could cost us 2 decades. Well done @narendramodi ji. Now let’s follow instructions rather than moaning and giving our own opinions,” he had tweeted on Tuesday.

Mr P’s recovery indeed is miraculous, considering he was born right in the middle of the Spanish flu and survived World War II.

COVID-19 is considered particularly lethal for those above the age of 65. Nearly 86 per cent of deaths in Italy were among those above the age of 70.

Now, Mr P has joined another centenarian, 103-year-old Zhang Guangfen from China, who was infected by the virus early March and recovered a week later. South Korea too, saw a survivor— a 97-year-old female patient from Cheongdo making a full recovery.

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