India declares the end of the Nipah epidemic with a video clip

(CNN) – The outbreak of the Nipah virus that killed 17 people in the state of Kerala, south of the country, was declared Sunday.

when three people died. Health officials moved quickly to identify and quarantine anyone who had contact with these people.

A total of 19 people were infected; The last two people infected but recovered were released from the hospital last month.

"We are in a festive mood," said Rajeev Sadanandan, chief secretary of the Department of Family Health and Welfare. The celebrations were accompanied by a video clip, broadcast by a group of local artists whose purpose was to show the unity of the Kerala people.

The video was shot over three days, and all the artists provided "During the Nipah virus period, a majority of the local population felt lonely, and everyone was scared," said the director of the video, Regilesh Star Voice

. We made this video dedicated to the public to show how proud we are of facing this crisis, "he said.

The video shows people who love their everyday life, go to shopping centers and work in the markets. moderate condition of the last two months. Girls dance in the streets, and older men sit and chat in restaurants.

The first passage of the Nipah virus in Kerala occurred when the sibling's brother was hospitalized on May 16 in Kozhikode. in northern Kerala. The treating neurologist, Dr. Jayakrishnan Chellenton, became suspicious after noticing the patient's high blood pressure and found that his brother had died after experiencing similar symptoms, and expressed his concerns to the team. of neurology

. The team immediately sent samples to a virology lab in Manipal, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) away. "We felt we are seeing something that is not commonly seen," Chellenton said.

Chellenton, who enjoys reading medical books and articles in his spare time, recalled an article that he had read a week ago. Encephalitis in India and a temporary mention of the Nipah virus.

Nipah infection can cause various symptoms, including fever, headache, confusion, and disorientation. More serious symptoms include acute respiratory syndrome, in which the lungs can not have enough oxygen for the body, and fatal encephalitis

People can contract the virus with bats, pigs or infected humans.

Virologist Dr. Arunkumar Govindakarnavar The Manipal laboratory was the first to evaluate samples from Kerala.

His laboratory was equipped to test the Nipah virus in August by the National Center for Disease Control as part of global health security .

As samples were tested, Chellenton and his team at the hospital began to review and catalog the symptoms. "By the process of exclusion, it was the only virus that could satisfy the symptoms of patients," he said.

The next day, even though they were convinced that they were dealing with the Nipah virus, and that they were quarantining the patient, two other victims were admitted.

Govindakarnavar unofficially confirmed the Nipah virus and passed the samples for further tests. "This was the key to success.In the 12 hours following the arrival of the samples to the laboratory, we diagnosed the problem.This was the key to containment."

With the foresight of the Chellenton team and the rapid isolation of patients, no one in the hospital has been infected.

A nurse from another hospital, Lini Puthussery, contracted the virus. take care of patients and die.

"This experience taught us to be more cautious about patients, and we never thought we would have anything like that in India, especially in Kerala," said Chellenton.

The Chellenton hospital received five patients infected with the virus, and none of them survived.