By FELICIA RAMPERSAD Saturday, November 22 2008

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KEEPING VIGIL: Dengue Fever victim Janiesa Mungalsingh's mother Jennifer Mungalsingh and her step father Hanschell Kattick, at San Fernando General Ho...

FRENCH national, Mary Denis, is thanking God she survived Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever, while another victim 13-year-old Janiesa Madhoo, remains warded at San Fernando General Hospital fighting for life.

Last week Friday, Jassodra Nanan, aunt of UNC Senator Adesh Nanan, died of cardiac failure due to dengue haemorrhagic fever.

Living in France for the past 24 years, Denis said that every year she tries to visit the land of her birth and arrived for this year’s visit five weeks ago. She is staying at her family’s home in Batchasingh Street, Gran Couva where she contracted the dreaded disease.

“I heard in France that citizens were contracting dengue and I postponed my trip because of it. I was so afraid. Then, I was not hearing anything and thought everything was back to normal and I decided to come. But everything is not fine and if I had known about it, I would not be here today,” she said.

Admitting that she felt feverish for several days, Denis noted that she did not really pay much attention to it until she started vomiting blood. Then she decided to visit the SFGH where a diagnosis revealed dengue.

“In general, I was impressed by what I saw. The doctors and nurses are very dedicated. I am one of the fortunate ones but then they treated everyone well,” Denis said.

Meanwhile, little Janiesa has been at the SFGH since November 9. A student of Waterloo High School, Carapichaima, her mother Jennifer Mungalsingh yesterday said, the child came home from school with a fever. She has since suffered with kidney failure and is on an oxygen machine.

“They kept doing tests but they knew it was dengue and were treating her accordingly. But they are taking very good care of her. They keep monitoring her and are doing the best that they can,” Mungalsingh said.

Relatives added that the child has had three kidney dialysis treatments in the little time she has spent at the hospital. Her worried mother said the child’s condition, while still grave, is slowly improving.