Coronavirus: South Korea’s oldest patient recovers, leaves hospital age 104

Choi Sang-boon tested positive on March 8 as part of a care home infection cluster in Gyeongsan. She recovered after 67 days of treatment

News of her recovery came on the same day that the number of people being treated for Covid-19 in South Korea dropped below 1,000

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South Korea's oldest coronavirus patient, 104-year-old Choi Sang-boon, leaves hospital. Photo: Handout/Pohang Medical Centre

Published: 6:26pm, 15 May 2020Updated: 6:26pm, 15 May 2020

South Korea’s oldest coronavirus patient was discharged from hospital on Friday after recovering from her infection aged 104.

Choi Sang-boon left Pohang Medical Centre, in the southeast of the country, on the same day that the number of people being treated for Covid-19 in South Korea fell to fewer than 1,000 for the first time in more than two months.

Health care workers put up a celebratory banner for Choi, who had been in hospital for 67 days, and presented her with a bouquet of flowers to congratulate her on her discharge and wish her good health.

“We are all grateful that she endured her long treatment and hardship to return to her normal life”, said Ham In-suk, head of the medical centre, in a statement.

104-year-old Choi Sang-boon. Photo: Handout/Pohang Medical Centre

Choi became the 291st Covid-19 patient to recover and be discharged from Pohang Medical Centre, Ham said, adding that 31 others were still being treated.