Turkey: Grandma, reportedly at age of 120, beats virus

SIRNAK, Turkey

A reportedly 120-year-old grandma in southeastern Turkey has beaten COVID-19.

Menica Encu, who lives in the village of Ortabag in the Uludere district of Sirnak province, managed to defeat the disease with the treatment she received in a provincial COVID-19 hospital for 15 days.

Encu -- who is 120 years old according to the hospital log -- has 12 children and over 100 grandchildren. After her COVID-19 test result appeared to be positive in the health screening performed by the mobile teams of the provincial health directorate, she was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The grandma, who was excited about regaining her health after 15 days of treatment, was discharged from the hospital in applause of the doctors.

"May Allah be pleased with our doctors and nurses. They took very good care of me," she told Anadolu Agency.

Halime Encu, 65-year-old daughter-in-law of the patient, said her mother-in-law used to consume organic products.

Bilim Kehya Akcan, a doctor who treated Encu, said the patient had complaints of shortness of breath and respiratory failure some two weeks ago, and she was brought to the hospital after being tested by mobile health teams.

The patient responded positively to the treatment, Akcan said, adding that although she has recovered and discharged from the hospital, more attention was needed to take care of her in the upcoming period.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev from Ankara