A 100-year-old aged care resident could be Australia’s oldest COVID-19 survivor after being discharged from a Melbourne hospital.

Centenarian Roy spent six weeks battling coronavirus at St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Fitzroy before waving to staff on his way out the door on Monday.

AAP understands he celebrated his 100th birthday while in hospital.

Roy’s granddaughter, identified as Lauren Elizabeth, took to social media to express her relief after his against-the-odds recovery.

“That was a very long 42 days, but he finally had two negative test results,” she wrote.

“I’m almost certain he is Australia’s oldest suriving (sic) case to date. Yet to be confirmed.”

Centurion Roy with the staff at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. Photo: Lauren Elizabeth/Facebook

The hospital confirmed Roy’s release on Tuesday and said he was returning to the aged care home where he caught the virus.

Victoria has 464 active aged care cases, almost half of its total figure of 947.

The hospital has treated 59 aged care residents over the past eight weeks, a spokesman confirmed to AAP.

St Vincent’s Private Hospital chief executive Janine Loader told 3AW on Thursday there were no longer any COVID-positive residents or staff in the building.

“There’s certainly a smile on lots of faces in our organisation,” she said.

Roy’s granddaughter hailed St Vincent’s nurses and doctors for putting their lives on the line to save her grandfather and other COVID-19 patients.

“He may be old, but he still matters to us,” she said.

She urged those “whinging” and politicising Victoria’s lockdown rules to reflect on the case, arguing all life – young and old – should be cherished.

“What matters at the end of the day is protecting lives,” she wrote.

“We can’t get back the lives we have lost to this virus, but we can focus on protecting every other suspectible (sic) life out there.”

Earlier this week, Melbourne couple Vic Cornell, 95, and Jean Schofield, 87, also left hospital after overcoming coronavirus.