Nun, world’s oldest known person, dies at 118

A French nun who was believed to be the world’s oldest person has died a few weeks before her 119th birthday. Lucile Randon, known as Sister André, was born in the town of Ales, southern France, on February 11, 1904. She was also one of the world’s oldest survivors of COVID-19.

The Gerontology Research Group listed her as the oldest known person in the world after the death of Japan’s Kane Tanaka, aged 119, last year. Sister André tested positive for the coronavirus in January 2021 but she had so few symptoms that she didn’t even realise she was infected. Her survival made headlines both in France and beyond and she was known to enjoy a daily glass of wine and chocolate.