The Maharashtra health department has reported a total of 192 suspected cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) as of February 11, with 172 confirmed infections and seven deaths linked to the rare neurological disorder.
On 12th Feb, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) confirmed that a 53-year-old patient succumbed to GBS at Nair Hospital in Mumbai, marking the city’s first fatality. This brings the total death toll due to GBS in Maharashtra to eight.
According to health officials, most cases have been reported from Pune and its surrounding areas. Specifically, 40 cases have been identified in the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits, while 92 have been recorded in recently added villages within the PMC jurisdiction. Pimpri-Chinchwad has reported 29 cases, while Pune Rural has documented 28 cases. The remaining eight cases are from other districts.
The state health department has confirmed that 104 patients have recovered and been discharged, while 50 remain in intensive care units (ICUs). Of these, 20 are on ventilators.
In response to the outbreak, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) sealed 30 private water supply plants in areas such as Nanded, Dhayari, and the outskirts of Sinhgad village on February 6. Authorities identified these regions as the epicenter of the GBS outbreak.
Following water sample testing, it was found that some plants lacked proper operational permits, while others had dangerously high levels of Escherichia coli bacteria. Several plants also failed to use adequate disinfection methods, such as chlorine, to ensure safe drinking water.
In an effort to contain the outbreak, Union Health Minister JP Nadda held a crucial meeting on February 3 with Maharashtra’s health and medical officials to assess the measures being implemented to curb the spread of GBS.
