101-year-old Sept-Îles man recovers from COVID-19 in the comfort of his own home
Despite his refusal to go to a hospital, Clément Maltais beat the virus
An abundance of love from a close-knit family may have played a role in the recovery of a 101-year-old Quebec man from COVID-19.
In early April, Clément Maltais began experiencing symptoms of the disease. Upon taking a home screening test, he tested positive.
Despite his age putting him at risk of serious complications, Maltais refused to head to a hospital.
"I called 811, they wanted to send an ambulance. I said no," said Noëlla Maltais, his daughter.
"My father will not leave the house. It's what he asked for in his will. I said, 'My father will not go to the hospital.'"
This 101-year-old Sept-Îles man recovered from COVID-19 with the help of family and friends.<br><br>After testing positive for COVID-19, Clément Maltais stayed home and was taken care of by his family. <br><br>Read more: <a href="https://t.co/nueUQWQb92">https://t.co/nueUQWQb92</a> <a href="https://t.co/TzMkv5ZFqf">pic.twitter.com/TzMkv5ZFqf</a>
—@CBCMontrealOver the next few weeks, Noëlla and her sisters took turns taking care of their father in his home in Sept-Îles, in the province's Côte-Nord region.
The virus has been particularly hard on the province's older population, with 90 per cent of fatal cases those over 70 years old, according to the latest data from Quebec's public health institute.
But Maltais's condition remained stable as he fought the virus.
Throughout this period, members of his extended family set out to show him their love. On May 3, they organized a small parade in front of his home, all while respecting physical-distancing rules.
"We went around the house, we were 16 vehicles in total; bicycles, four-wheel drives, motorcycles," said Shanna Maltais, his granddaughter.
Soon after, Maltais took a second test and the results came back negative this time.
His family says Maltais's condition continues to improve day by day.
Based on a report by Radio-Canada
