When 98-year-old Daphne Shah was rushed to hospital with coronavirus, her son feared the worst - but now she is back home and on the mend.

"When she left in the ambulance, I honestly never thought I'd see her again", Wesley Shah said.

"They had never come across a person of nearly 99 who has recovered from the virus."

Mrs Shah tested positive for Covid-19 in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital and spent over a week there before being discharged with medication on Monday.

Her son, from St Madoes in Perth and Kinross, said he wants to "tell the world" that the very elderly can recover from Covid-19.

He said: "They must have given her a miracle treatment.

"She didn't even need to go on a ventilator and yet she was struggling for air when she left (home).

"The NHS in Scotland have always been tops, but this time around they have just been unbelievable."

High temperature

Mr Shah has looked after his mother since his father's death 20 years ago and said she had been "relatively healthy" until her recent symptoms.

He had originally called a doctor and paramedics when his mother developed a cough and high temperature.

Initially suspecting a bacterial infection, she was prescribed antibiotics.

But when these did not work, she was admitted to hospital.

Her symptoms included coughing, a loss of appetite, and weakness.

Mr Shah said: "She will be 99 in July, I really wanted her to get to 100 to get the telegram from the Queen.

"I thought it would be a shame if Covid took her life before then, because she was doing so well."

'Serious issue'

With no visitors allowed in hospital, Mrs Shah initially struggled to understand what was happening.

Her son said: "She just thought I was neglecting her, she kept asking the staff at Ninewells "where's my son, where's my son?"

"Of course they tried to explain things to her, but it didn't sink in for a few days."

Mr Shah phoned the ward for updates four times a day and said he could not praise the doctors and nurses highly enough for their care and communication.

He said: "I just want to get in touch with the world to say, look, I know this is a serious issue with the coronavirus.

"My message is - if a 98-year-old lady can fight this off, so can you, whatever your age is. Stay positive."

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