Pune reported six fresh suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) on Friday, taking the total count to 73. The state health department has already set up a Rapid Response Team (RRT) to investigate the sudden rise in GBS, an immunological nerve disorder. As per the statement issued by the health department, 14 people affected by this disorder are on ventilator support.
Health department conducting surveys
Maharashtra health department is on alert soon after 24 cases of GBS were reported. According to the civic officials, most of these cases were detected in the Sinhgad Road area of the city. The RRT and PMCs health department continued surveillance in the affected areas of Sinhgad Road area. A total of 7,215 houses have been surveyed so far, comprising 1,943 houses in Pune Municipal Corporation limits, 1,750 houses in Chinchwad Municipal Corporation limits, and 3,522 houses in the district's rural areas.
Meanwhile, RRT was also formed on Tuesday to monitor the situation. Dr Babasaheb Tandale, scientist from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Dr Premchand Kambale, Joint Director of Health Services, Dr Rajesh Karyekarte, HOD of Department of Microbiology of B J Medical College, Dr Bhalchandra Pradhan, state epidemiologist and others are part of the RRT.
Guillain-Barre syndrome Pune
Dr Nina Borade, chief of the civic health department, assured that this outbreak would not lead to an epidemic or pandemic. She explained that bacterial and viral infections generally lead to GBS as they weaken the immunity of patients.
Most suspected patients are in the age group of 12 to 30 years, with only one case of a 59-year-old patient currently undergoing treatment, she said. "GBS doesn't require separate treatment. Supportive care, such as antibiotics, IV fluids and treatments for paralysis are generally sufficient. The disease is self-limiting and recoverable. The PMC has the expertise and medical preparedness to manage these cases," she added.
The Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) health department has sent samples from the affected patients to ICMR-NIV for testing.
(With PTI inputs)