Virus patient leaves hospital after 214 days
After seven agonising months fighting COVID-19 in hospital, Queensland man Richard Misior has finally been discharged.
The 81-year-old spent 214 days in total at Gold Coast University Hospital - more than seven months - making him the state's longest-hospitalised virus patient.
A staggering 77 of those days was spent in intensive care, and Mr Misior's health was so badly affected by the virus he had to learn to walk again.
He contracted coronavirus after travelling on the Ruby Princess cruise ship in March.
Mr Misior told 9 News he was thrilled to be going home to wife Helen.
"I thought I had the flu and then I disappeared. Later on I realised they put me into an induced coma," he told reporters.
"Many people recover quite quickly but there are some who don't. And when you get one - a bad one - you're in big trouble."
Queensland's Health Minister Steven Miles also touched on Mr Misior's miraculous recovery at his press conference yesterday.
"I had the pleasure of visiting with him a little while ago. He spent months in intensive care, but the doctors there have done just a fantastic job and he's being released from hospital today," Mr Miles said.
Richard Misior contracted #COVID19 on the Ruby Princess cruise ship earlier this year.
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) October 22, 2020
The 81-year-old has been in a Gold Coast hospital for the past seven months, including three months in ICU.
Today, he finally got to go home! #9Today pic.twitter.com/b2HDlrf3g5
"He's being released from hospital today. That's something I'm really pleased about."
Hospital staff formed a guard of honour and clapped as Mr Misior was wheeled down the hospital corridor for the last time yesterday.
Originally published as Virus patient leaves hospital after 214 days
