Number of suspected cases of GBS rises to 149 with 124 confirmed cases: Maharashtra Health Department

Pune (Maharashtra) [India], February 1 (ANI): The total number of suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) has risen to 149, with 124 confirmed cases, according to a press release from the Maharashtra Health Department on Saturday.
The Health Department said, "As of now, 149 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been identified, with 5 suspected deaths. Out of these, 124 patients have been confirmed to have GBS. Among the affected individuals, 28 are currently on ventilator support."
The affected areas include 29 cases from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 82 cases from newly added villages in the PMC area, 17 from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), 13 from Pune Rural and eight from other districts.
The Health Department also reported that three new suspected GBS cases were reported on Saturday, and the remaining six cases are from previous days.
The Public Health Department said that GBS is an autoimmune disorder where the body's immune system attacks the peripheral nervous system. It is characterised by muscle weakness, and in severe cases, paralysis.
Earlier, the Director General of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Rajiv Bahl said that the cases are under investigation as a team of experts has collected various samples.
"Samples of stool and blood of those infected are being tested at the NIV Pune lab, but yet to get any definite leads on the cause behind the spread," Dr Bahl said.
He said that the cause or link of GBS is found only in 40 per cent of cases. The Campylobacter jejunum bacteria were found in four stool samples that were collected from 21 GBS patients in Pune, which were tested by the National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune, while norovirus was found in some.
The Union Health Ministry has deputed a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Pune to aid state authorities in instituting interventions and managing the spurt in suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) in the city.
The central team sent to Maharashtra comprises seven experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, NIMHANS Bengaluru, Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare and National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune. Three experts from NIV, Pune were already supporting the local authorities.
The team is working closely with the state health departments and taking stock of the on-ground situation to recommend necessary public health interventions. The central team has been tasked with monitoring the situation and coordinating with the state.
The water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory. "An appeal has been made to the private medical practitioners to notify any GBS patient to the respective public health authorities. Citizens should not panic - the state's health department is prepared to implement preventive and control measures," sources told ANI. (ANI)