Two More Deaths Reported
Two patients undergoing treatment for Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Pune passed away on Friday, raising the city’s GBS death toll to four. A 60-year-old man from Buldhana, residing in Pune’s Sinhagad Road area, and a 36-year-old cab driver from Pimple Gurav succumbed to the illness. The cab driver was admitted to Pimpri’s Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial (YCM) Hospital. Doctors are uncertain whether he had recently traveled to Pune city.
Cases and Hospitalizations Increase
With ten new cases reported, the total number of GBS patients in Pune has climbed to 140. Among them, 18 are on ventilator support, while 45 others remain in intensive care units (ICUs). So far, 25 patients have been discharged.
Possible Slowdown in New Cases
Despite the additional cases and deaths, officials believe the outbreak may be stabilizing. They attribute the rise in numbers to previously unreported hospital admissions. Encouragingly, no new admissions have been recorded in the last few days.
Regional Breakdown of Cases
Pune municipal limits account for over 100 cases, while 15 have been reported in Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas. The remaining cases involve residents from Pune rural and neighboring districts. Eleven patients traveled to Pune for treatment, though officials have yet to establish an epidemiological link between them and the outbreak.
GBS Cases in Rajasthan
Rajasthan has also reported cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, with several patients currently undergoing treatment. Health officials are investigating possible links between cases in Pune and Rajasthan. The state’s health department has heightened surveillance, advising hospitals to monitor and test suspected cases.
State Health Department and Investigations
The Maharashtra and Rajasthan health departments have confirmed additional GBS cases, all receiving treatment at respective hospitals. District health authorities in both states have been instructed to monitor suspected cases and conduct necessary tests.
A team from the state’s Rapid Response Team (RRT) is investigating the outbreak’s cause. An interim report is being prepared, refining the definition of GBS cases. Additionally, discharged patients are being assessed for physiotherapy and psychological support, as sudden paralysis can cause severe physical and emotional distress.
Suspected Cause: Contaminated Water and Food
Health officials suspect the outbreak may be linked to Campylobacter jejuni bacteria, often found in contaminated food and water. This bacteria, commonly present in undercooked poultry and unpasteurized milk, is a known trigger for GBS.
Dr. Sunil Mahawar, senior professor of medicine at SMS Hospital, emphasized that heat treatment, such as cooking and pasteurization, is the only effective way to eliminate Campylobacter from food. Water samples from different areas of Pune and Rajasthan have been sent for chemical and biological analysis.
First Reported GBS Case in Telangana
A 25-year-old woman from Siddipet, Telangana, has been diagnosed with GBS, marking the first reported case in the state. She has no travel history to Pune and is currently on ventilator support at KIMS Hospital. Consultant Neurologist Dr. Praveen Kumar Yada stated that her condition deteriorated despite prior treatment at another hospital.
Central Government Intervenes
In response to the growing crisis, the Union Health Ministry has deployed a seven-member multi-disciplinary team to Pune. Experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), NIMHANS Bengaluru, Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare, and the National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune, are working alongside state health officials to contain the outbreak. NIV Pune had already assigned three experts to assist local authorities.
Post-Mortem Findings and Official Reports
A post-mortem examination of the 36-year-old cab driver revealed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome as the immediate cause of death, with bilateral pneumonia and GBS as contributing factors.
As reported by economictimes, according to the Maharashtra State Health Department, as of January 30, a total of 130 suspected GBS cases have been identified. Of these, 73 have been confirmed. The breakdown includes:
- 25 from Pune Municipal Corporation,
- 74 from newly added villages in the PMC area,
- 13 from PCMC,
- 9 from Pune rural,
- 9 from other districts.
Among these, 20 patients remain on ventilator support.