Thiruvananthapuram: Amid the looming gloom of the coronavirus pandemic, a piece of news on Monday brought a glimmer of hope in Kerala that has seen one of the highest number of positive cases in the country.

Ninety-three-year-old Thomas and his 88-year-old wife Mariyamma, who were undergoing treatment at Kottayam Medical College Hospital for the last three weeks, have recovered completely and went back home. They are perhaps one of the oldest couples in the country to have recovered from the deadly viral infection.

Kerala on Monday reported 32 new positive cases of Covid-19, taking the total number of patients under treatment to 213 in the state, with the worst affected Kasaragod district accounting for 17 fresh cases.

Hailing from Ranni in Pathanamthitta, the aged couple contracted the disease after coming in contact with their son, who came down from Italy along with his wife and son and tested positive for the disease earlier this month, the government said in a press release.

They were already suffering from various age-related diseases and their condition was very critical in one phase of the treatment, a health department statement said here.

The expert treatment and care, given at the Kottayam Medical College, had brought them back to the life, it said, adding that Health Minister KK Shailaja congratulated all those toiled hard for their recovery.

Along with the seven-member team of doctors who led the treatment, 40 medical staff, including 25 nurses were actively took part in various stages of treatment, it said.

A nurse, who took care of the elderly patients, tested positive for the deadly virus. The minister spoke to the nurse and said the health department were fully with her.

Earlier in the day, five family members of the elderly couple, including their son Abraham Moncy, wife and son, had been discharged from Ranni district hospital after testing negative.

At a time when those above 60 are considered high risk category, the elderly couple, getting cured is an achievement for the Kerala government.

The three-member family of Abraham Moncy, who had returned from Italy in February and two other relatives had tested positive and were in the isolation ward of the general hospital here since March 6. They left for home on Monday after their samples came back negative.

The five from Ranni were given a warm send off by the hospital staff, including doctors, nurses and other medical staff who treated them for 24 days.

Their doctors, Dr Ashis Mohan and Dr Sharat said the five patients have been sent home after their tests were negative.

“They will be in strict home quarantine for two weeks. After which they will brought in our ambulance and their samples will be taken again for testing for being 200 per cent sure that they have fully recovered,” one of them said.

Profusely thanking the entire medical staff on behalf of his family, Lijo Moncy said he was grateful to the government, the doctors and medical staff who took good care of them.

"We were worried. My father was given counselling... I have only words of thanks to all the staff who took good care of us."

The family also thanked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the health minister. "It was due to our ignorance, we made a mistake," Moncy said. He and his family members had attended various functions and met relatives on their return from Italy.

They had taken two connecting flights from Venice in Italy to India on February 29 and had not reported to the authorities on arrival.

The Italy returned family had been forcibly admitted to the general hospital's isolation ward on March 6 and tests later confirmed that they had contracted the virus.

Thomas and Mariyamma were initially admitted to Pathanamthitta General Hospital from where they were shifted to the medical college in the neighbouring district. Thomas also suffered a heart attack at the hospital and both contracted urinary infections.

Another relative said they never thought they would come out alive. The hospital staff clapped and cheered as the five came out of the hospital. They were given a cake, dinner and a kit containing essential commodities. Their home was disinfected earlier.

Two other relatives, staying with them had also tested positive. Two other relatives of the Italian family had been discharged on Sunday.

(With inputs from PTI)