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A nurse was described as an "amazing fighter" and given a round of applause as she left hospital after spending months in intensive care with coronavirus .
Senior sister Kathy Woods was clapped out by her colleagues as she finally left Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford , where she works.
Darent Valley nurse Kathy Woods is applauded as she leaves hospital
It comes 125 days after she was admitted with the virus.
Kathy first became ill with Covid-19 during the outbreak in March and was transferred to a hospital ward in April after becoming increasingly unwell.
When her condition deteriorated further she was moved to an intensive care unit and put onto a ventilator, where she would remain for the next 12 weeks.
In May she would spend her birthday on the ward while sedated, but staff still marked the occasion with cards and banners.
Kathy was then later transferred to St Thomas’ Hospital ITU in London under the care of their specialist team for a further four weeks before returning to the Dartford hospital in June.
It was here she would remain until the beginning of August when her condition stabilised and she was deemed well enough to be moved back to a hospital ward.
It is believed Kathy is the longest staff member and coronavirus patient at Darent Valley Hospital.
Kathy has worked for Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust for nearly 30 years.
She started at Joyce Green Hospital as a children's nurse on ward 7b and then worked at Gravesend's maternity special care baby unit.
In 2000 she moved with the team to the recently opened Darent Valley Hospital and worked her way up to senior sister.
Kathy will now need to learn how to walk again and has been transferred to Livingstone Community Hospital in East Hill to continue her rehabilitation.
Her sister Fiona said: “Our family is eternally grateful to all the amazing teams at Darent Valley Hospital and St Thomas’ for fighting so hard for Kathy and returning her to us.
"She also has been an amazing fighter and we are so proud of her. We as a family had amazing support from Darent Valley staff, especially her team on Walnut ward."
