Maria Branyas, the world's oldest woman, has passed away at the age of 117 years and 168 days, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Wednesday.

In January 2023, she was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the oldest living woman. Born in 1907, Maria lived through both World Wars and the Spanish Civil War.

Her family moved back to Barcelona from the United States during World War I. Maria spent the last decade of her life in a nursing home in Catalonia.

In May 2020, despite contracting COVID-19, she survived, becoming the oldest known survivor of the virus.