The fatality counts due to suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) rose to 11 as ofFebruary 18, 2025, of these 4 deaths were confirmed as GBS and 7 were reported suspected deaths, informed the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme officials from the Public Health Department of Maharashtra.
Two patients who were undergoing treatment at Pune hospitals, died; one is a 27-year-old woman, and another one is a 37-year-old man. The medical officers said that the woman, a resident of Nandedgaon area, was admitted in a Pune city hospital and was diagnosed with GBS. The man from Pune’s Daund, died in a State-run Sassoon General Hospital of suspected GBS case on Monday.
On January 15, the woman had complaints of loose motions but recovered without medication. Later, on January 22, she developed weakness and loss of strength in the lower limbs following which, she was admitted in the hospital. On January 25, she was transferred to another hospital and was put on life support. On February 18, she died during treatment, informed State health officials.
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The man who was admitted at Pune’s Sassoon General Hospital on January 10 for suspected GBS, died on Monday suffering from acute respiratory failure.
The total count of GBS cases is 211 at present, of which 183 are diagnosed with autoimmune disorder and 28 are suspected GBS cases. 42 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 94 from newly added villages in PMC area, 32 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 33 from Pune rural and 10 are from other districts of Maharashtra.
A total of 24 patients are between the age group of zero to nine, 26 are between 10 and 19, 44 patients are between the age of 20 and 29, 27 patients are between the age of 30 and 39, 29 are between 40 and 49, 30 patients are between 50 and 59 years, 21 are between the age group of 60 and 69, six patients are between the age group of 70 and 79, and four are between the age-group of 80 and 89.
Of these patients, 144 have been discharged till now, 36 are in ICU and 16 are on ventilator.
“No fresh cases were reported today. The common symptoms of GBS include: Sudden weakness in hands or legs/ paralysis, trouble while walking or weakness with sudden onset and diarrhea, for sustained periods,” the health official said in a press statement.
Measures implemented
A state-level rapid response team visited the affected areas, Pune MC and rural district authorities have been instructed to increase surveillance activities. At least, 6,977 water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, samples from 85 water sources are found contaminated.
Instructions have been given to increase health promotion activities. An appeal has been made to the private medical practitioners to notify any GBS patient of the respective public health authorities.
In house-to-house surveillance activities, 46,534 houses in Pune MC, 26460 houses in PCMC and 13,956 houses in Pune rural areas have been surveyed. 82 Serum samples have been sent to NIMHANS Bengaluru for Antiganglioside Antibodies testing.
The health department has advised not to eat stale food or partially cooked food such as chicken or mutton. It is advised to eat fresh and clean food and drink boiled water.
