Neighbours, friends come through for NTV anchor's family after falling ill

NTV news anchor Dann Mwangi has disclosed his tough experience with Covid-19, which had ruined more than 66% of his lungs leaving him to operate on only ⅓ of the vital organ.

Luckily for the anchor, he received help from all areas including medics, insurance staff and neighbours who helped do shopping when he couldn’t.

Speaking during an interview with colleague Gladys Gachanja on Tuesday, August 24, Mwangi said he fell sick in July 2021 but first shrugged off the symptoms.

He said he went to work despite feeling sickly because he was feeling bad about skipping work since he knew his colleagues were stretched thin. He made it to work on Saturday, July 3 but struggled to finish the evening news bulletin.

Dann Mwangi: My Covid-19 journey to HDU and back

“I really strained, I think by the time the bulletin was going on I was on autopilot. I was just feeling generally weak or fatigued, name it. So after the bulletin ended I decided to rest for a bit so I could get enough energy to safely drive home, which I did and I thank God,” he narrated.

It wasn’t until his wife said she couldn’t smell or taste anything that they thought about getting a Covid-19 test.

After the hospital visit and being put on medication, Mwangi’s health kept deteriorating and developed more symptoms such as body aches and shortness of breath.

“Let me just tell you we have a strong circle of friends and family and neighbours who helped us out, they did a lot for us just to ease the burden of shopping... just doing a lot for us,” he praised.

When all this was happening, the anchor's nanny had gone home to take care of of some personal matters.

Part 2

"I was operating on supplementary oxygen" - Dann Mwangi, My Covid-19 journey to HDU and back

“My wife really helped a lot, she was such a star. I mean she has a gift...I think it's a woman's thing...sort of putting her illness aside and now attend to me,” he explained.

Mwangi was admitted for 8 days and at one point needed more oxygen to survive. “The doctor said that they need to make some intervention because it seemed I was relying more on supplementary oxygen than what I was breathing by myself.”

“And when they did a CT Scan on me actually on I think the first night, the results came and showed that my lungs were affected 66 percent so I was basically operating on a third of my lungs.”

The news anchor who is also known for his poetry pieces successfully recovered and urges Kenyas to stay safe, observe the Covid-19 safety measures and avoid attending political gatherings.

“I remember when I was in my bed in the HDU and that's when there were the Kiambaa by-elections campaigns and then eventually the by-election itself and I just looked and I’m like this is going to be a disaster. I’m like if you guys know what us guys in this place are feeling or are going through, you didn't be doing that and for me, the line that came to mind was, they will come for you and prey on you with their funds and you will pay with your lungs,” he said.