Suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome Cases In Pune Rise To 111, 13 On Ventilator Support

As Pune grapples with a rare outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) with 111 suspected cases, civic authorities have urged residents in affected areas to boil water used for drinking and cooking.

Representational Image | Pune witnesses 111 suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases, with 31 confirmed.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

The number of suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune has risen to 111, with one death reported, according to health officials. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has urged residents in affected areas to boil water used for drinking and cooking as a preventive measure.  

Dr Babita Kamalapurkar, Joint Director of the Epidemiology Department, Maharashtra, confirmed the figures. Among the 111 suspected cases, 31 have been diagnosed as confirmed GBS cases. The distribution of cases is as follows:  

• 20 patients from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits  
• 66 patients from newly added villages in the PMC area  
• 12 patients from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC)  
• 5 patients from Pune rural  
• 8 patients from other districts  

Of the total cases, 77 are men and 34 are women. Thirteen patients are currently on ventilator support.  

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Preventive Measures Advised  

State health authorities have urged residents to remain cautious but not panic. People experiencing symptoms should seek immediate medical attention at government hospitals. Authorities have issued the following preventive guidelines:  

• Ensure good water quality – Consume only boiled water.  
• Maintain food hygiene – Consume fresh and properly cooked food; avoid stale food.  
• Avoid undercooked meat – Refrain from consuming partially cooked non-vegetarian food, including chicken, mutton, poultry, and dairy products.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome: Government Response

A state-level Rapid Response Team has visited the affected areas, and Pune’s civic authorities have intensified surveillance activities. As part of the investigation, 57 stool samples were sent to the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune, out of which 17 tested positive for Norovirus and five for Campylobacter. Additionally, 76 blood samples were sent to NIV, all of which tested negative for Zika, Dengue, and Chikungunya.

To assess water quality, 110 samples from various parts of the city were sent for chemical and biological analysis at the Public Health Laboratory, where eight water sources were found contaminated.

Surveillance efforts have been ramped up, with house-to-house screenings conducted in 45,052 households, including 23,035 in Pune MC, 5,896 in PCMC, and 9,121 in Pune rural areas.

Private medical practitioners have been instructed to immediately report any suspected GBS cases to the respective public health authorities.

While the outbreak has raised concerns, health officials have urged citizens to not panic as the state’s health department is prepared to implement preventive and control measures.

The writer is a senior independent journalist.