A 93-year old man in Kerala and his 88-year-old wife have recovered from Covid-19, the deadly disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the government said on Tuesday. The couple had contracted the infection from their son, who had returned from Italy.

The couple’s grandson and daughter-in-law had also tested positive for the infection. All five members of the family have now recovered.

The couple, who tested positive for coronavirus earlier this month, had been undergoing treatment at the Kottayam Medical College Hospital for the last three weeks. They had been suffering from various age-related illnesses and their condition was very critical during first phase of the treatment, according to a statement from Kerala Health Minister KK Shailaja.

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The man had been put on a ventilator after he developed cough, chest pain and a urinary infection. His wife had also developed bacterial infection. They had been kept in rooms where they could see each other.

The government said that along with seven doctors, 40 medical staff members had attended to the couple. “The elderly couple were brought back to life from death,” a press release from the state health minister’s office said. A nurse who treated the couple has also contracted the infection.

Kerala has 221 cases of the coronavirus, the highest in India. One death has been reported from the state.

Covid-19 has been found to be fatal in cases of older patients and those with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The disease has killed 32 people in India. Across the world, 38,000 people have died of Covid-19. Italy – a country with a huge elderly population – has reported more than 11,000 deaths, the highest in the world so far.