A 113-year-old woman in Spain has become the country's oldest coronavirus survivor, according to multiple media reports.
Maria Branyas was born in 1907 and turned 113 on March 4, Spanish news agency EFE reports. That was the last day her family was able to visit her before Spain implemented a major national lockdown to try and prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Soon after that, she was diagnosed with COVID-19 but has since recovered and suffered only mild symptoms, according to Spanish publication La Vanguardia.
Branyas was isolated in her room for weeks, with only a single employee in protective gear allowed in to check on her, according to Catalan regional television TV3.
A spokeswoman for the retirement home where Branyas lives confirmed to AFP that Branyas "feels good now."
Branyas has now lived through two world wars, the Spanish flu pandemic and Spain's 1936-1939 civil war.
After Branyas was declared Spain's oldest living person in December, her daughter started a Twitter account for her, Forbes reported. On that Twitter account last week, Branyas confirmed that she had overcome coronavirus.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems -- including children -- it can cause more severe illness and death.
Spain, like Italy, was among the hardest-hit countries early on. While certain regions in Spain have started scaling back lockdowns, with limited seating at bars, restaurants and other public places. But Madrid and Barcelona, the country’s largest cities, will remain shut down.