Pathanamthitta, April 25: A 62-year-old woman from Kerala's Pathanamthitta, who tested positive for coronavirus 19 successive times, has recovered. The elderly asymptomatic woman tested negative on Friday. "She tested negative twice and will be discharged from the hospital after the state medical board gives its permission," Pathanamthitta district medical officer Dr N Sheeja told Hindustan Times. Coronavirus Live Tracker.

The woman contracted the diseases after she came in contact with the Italy-returned family. She was first hospitalised on March 10 after she showed symptoms and soon after tested positive for coronavirus. Following treatment, she recovered and became free from the symptoms. However, she tested positive 19 times. The case baffled doctors as the woman was not showing symptoms. Coronavirus Cases Surge to 24,506 in India, COVID-19 Death Toll Reaches 775 After 57 Fatalities in Past 24 Hours.

While all members of the family, including a 94-year-old man and his 88-year-old wife, had been discharged, this 62-year-old, not related to the family, remained hospitalised. Finally, on Friday, she tested negative twice. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said the case shows coronavirus in unpredictable. "How the coronavirus behaves cannot be predicted. Even after repeat tests every alternative day, the patient is positive," Vijayan had said.

Several cases have been reported where a person tested positive for coronavirus more than 14 days after coming into contact with an infected person. Asymptomatic people are also testing positive for coronavirus. The Union Health Ministry said on Monday that 80 per cent of the COVID-19 cases are either asymptomatic or with mild symptoms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had prescribed a 14-day incubation period for coronavirus but Kerala had extended it to 28 days to ensure that an asymptomatic person or a patient is disinfected completely.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2020 12:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).