New Delhi: In the latest development in the ongoing Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak in Maharashtra, two more suspected cases have resulted in fatalities, bringing the total death count to 11. This surge in deaths has been reported despite a decline in new cases, highlighting the ongoing challenges in managing the disease.
As of the latest updates, 183 patients have been confirmed to have GBS, with an additional 28 suspected cases. The distribution of these cases includes 42 from the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 94 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 32 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), 33 from Pune Rural, and 10 from other districts. Among these patients, 144 have been discharged, while 36 are currently in the ICU and 16 are on ventilator support.
Dr. Nina Borade, the health chief of the Pune Municipal Corporation, noted that the preventive measures implemented by the authorities have led to a significant reduction in new suspected GBS cases. “Over the past five to six days, we have not seen any new suspected GBS cases within our jurisdiction. However, we are now likely to witness deaths among suspected GBS patients who are undergoing treatment at various hospitals,” she explained.
The two recent deaths include a 37-year-old man from Sonwadi, Daund, who succumbed to acute respiratory failure, autonomic dysfunction, and acute flaccid quadriplegia, likely due to GBS, at Sassoon General Hospital on Monday. The man had initially been admitted to a private hospital in Daund with complaints of weakness in all four limbs before being transferred to SGH on February 10.
The second fatality was a 26-year-old woman from Nanded City, who died at Kashibai Navale Hospital on Tuesday due to septicemic shock, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, and fulminant GBS. She had been intubated and on ventilator support since January 31, according to state health officials.
Dr. Borade emphasized that a large number of patients are currently admitted to ICU facilities, with many requiring ventilator support, underscoring the critical nature of the situation.
