Israeli corona patient, 45, wakes up after 29 days in coma

The man is in stable condition and is able to communicate with no impediments.

By Aaron Sull, World Israel News

On Thursday, a 45-year-old Israeli man diagnosed with coronavirus regained consciousness after being in a coma for 29 days.

According to a statement by Jerusalem’s Wolfson Medical Center, the man is in stable condition and is able to communicate with no impediments.

After the coronavirus caused his lungs and heart to give out last month, the hospital placed him on an ECMO (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation) machine to keep him alive.

“Now that he is fully conscious and breathing on his own without any respiratory support, I would like to thank the wonderful physicians from the Department of Emergency Care who treated him,” said Dr. Arie Soroksky, Director of the Wolfson Intensive Care Departments.

This is the second time within a week that a corona-stricken patient regained consciousness.

On April 13, a 22-year-old regained consciousness after a three-week coma.

“There is still a long way to go, it will take time and patience,” Afik Suissa’s mother said at the time, as quoted by Ynet. “I know he is in good hands.”

Suissa had recently returned from the U.S. and entered self-quarantine in accordance with Health Ministry guidelines. Shortly after, he began experiencing shortness of breath and high fever and was rushed to the Samson Assuta Ashdod University Hospital on March 29.

Despite not having any pre-existing medical conditions, the young man fell into a coma after his lungs and heart started to give out. After being placed on a standard respirator, Suissa was transferred to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital and placed on an ECMO.

As of Thursday, the number of confirmed infections in Israel stood at over 13,700 and 177 deaths.