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French nun aged 116 suffers no ill effects from coronavirus infection

Sister Andrée, who turns 117 on Thursday and who is believed to be the oldest living person in Europe, was infected with the coronavirus in January but developed no illness and has told French media that she had not been scared by the experience.

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Europe's oldest person, French nun Sister Andrée, has survived Covid-19 and will celebrate her 117th birthday this week, reports FRANCE 24.

Lucile Randon, who took the name of Sister Andrée when she joined a Catholic charitable order in 1944, tested positive for coronavirus in her retirement home in Toulon, southern France, on January 16th. She was isolated from other residents, but displayed no symptoms.

Asked if she was scared to have Covid, Sister Andrée told France's BFM television, "No, I wasn't scared because I wasn't scared to die... I'm happy to be with you, but I would wish to be somewhere else – join my big brother and my grandfather and my grandmother."

David Tavella, spokesman for the Sainte Catherine Labouré retirement home, said she was doing well.

"We consider her to be cured. She is very calm and she is looking forward to celebrating her 117th birthday on Thursday."

He said Sister Andrée, who is blind but very spirited, will celebrate her birthday with a smaller group of residents than usual because of coronavirus infection risk.

"She has been very lucky," he added.

See more of this Reuters report published by FRANCE 24.