Pune residents are on high alert as the city continues to grapple with a deadly outbreak of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS). The latest victim, a 59-year-old resident of Khadakwasla, sadly passed away in a city hospital on Tuesday morning, bringing the death toll to eight. With six new cases reported just yesterday, the total number of individuals affected by the outbreak has now reached a staggering 203.
Health officials are working tirelessly to care for the 52 patients currently in intensive care, with 20 of them requiring ventilator support. The deceased individual, who was admitted to Navale Hospital on February 10, experienced severe weakness and was unable to perform basic tasks. Despite undergoing treatment, his condition worsened, leading to a cardiac arrest and, ultimately, his passing.
Preliminary findings suggest that the patient had a severe variant of GBS known as acute motor axonal neuropathy (AMAN), which affects motor neurons. The cause of death has been attributed to hypotensive shock and pulmonary embolism, pending a final post-mortem report.
The outbreak has been linked to contaminated water sources in areas like Khadakwasla, near the epicenter of the outbreak in Nanded Gaon. Many families in these regions rely on untreated well water for daily use, creating a breeding ground for the bacteria responsible for GBS.
The Maharashtra health department has identified Campylobacter jejuni bacteria as the likely culprit behind the outbreak, with contamination suspected in critical water supply pipelines. Surveillance efforts have revealed contamination in water samples from 72 different locations in Pune, prompting officials to collect and test nearly 6,000 water samples.
As the city grapples with this health crisis, residents are urged to take precautions and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms of GBS. Stay tuned for updates as the situation develops.
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