Hospital cheers as oldest Brit beats virus

Titchen was applauded by staff at Birmingham’s City Hospital, leaving after three weeks as a patient. She was admitted to City Hospital in mid-March with suspected pneumonia and diagnosed with COVID-19 soon afterwards.

Birmingham:The former department store sales assistant 106-years-old Connie Titchen is Britain’s oldest known survivor of COVID-19.

Titchen was applauded by staff on Tuesday at Birmingham’s City Hospital, leaving after three weeks as a patient.

She was admitted to City Hospital in mid-March with suspected pneumonia and diagnosed with COVID-19 soon afterward.

Alex Jones, granddaughter of Titchen, says Titchen has had an active life and remains independent. She says her grandmother still cooked for herself but also enjoyed a trip to McDonald’s now and then. She hasn't told her the restaurants are closed."

Ttichen was born in September 1913 and lived through two World Wars.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But it can cause more severe illness including pneumonia and death for some people, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

According to the Johns Hopkins University, the UK has more than 99,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and more than 12,800 deaths.

(With inputs from AP)