World's oldest person dies at 115

A Portuguese woman who held the title of oldest living person for just five weeks has died at the age of 115.

Maria de Jesus died on 2 January, 2009. One of her six children told a Portugal news agency that her mother never "fell ill, nor took any medication".

Mrs de Jesus had topped the table of people aged 110 or older collated by the Gerontology Research Group after Edna Parker died on 26 November, 2008.

American Gertrude Baines, born 6 April, 1894, is now the oldest living person.

According to AFP news agency, Mrs De Jesus was born in central Portugal.

She started working in agriculture at the age of 12 and never went to school. She could not read or write.

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