
In the latest development, five new suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been identified in Maharashtra, a health official said. The latest cases of the rare nerve disorder have raised the tally to 166 in Maharashtra, the officials added.
The official said, five persons have died so far from the ailment in the state on Monday. "Five cases were detected, though no death was reported on Monday. The number of confirmed GBS cases stands at 127. The 166 suspected cases comprise 32 from Pune city, 86 from newly added villages in Pune Municipal Corporation limits, 18 from Pimpri Chinchwad, 19 from Pune rural and eight from other districts," he said.
47 on ICU, 21 on ventilator
He further added that out of a total of 163 patients, 47 have been discharged till now, 47 were in ICU and 21 were on ventilator support. A total of 168 water samples from different parts of Pune city were sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, he said. He added that samples from eight water sources were found to be contaminated.
Notably, GBS is a rare health condition in which a person's immune system attacks the peripheral nerves, resulting in muscle weakness, and loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms. Along with that problems in swallowing or breathing also arise in some cases.
Severe cases of GBS can result in near-total paralysis. The rare nerve disorder is more common in adults and males, though people of all ages can be affected.
(With PTI Inputs)