Tally of nerve disorder GBS rises to 180 in Pune; Mumbai records first case

Pune/Mumbai: The tally of suspected Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases in the Pune region has reached 180, with the detection of seven cases, while a 64-year-old woman became the first patient diagnosed with the nerve disorder in Mumbai, officials said.

The seven cases in Pune comprise four fresh cases and three from previous days, an official from the health department said on Friday.

"Of the 180 suspected cases, 146 have been diagnosed with GBS. At least 35 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation, 88 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 25 from the Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits, 24 from Pune Rural and eight from other districts. While 79 patients have been discharged, 58 are in ICU and 22 on ventilator support," a health department release said.

The number of deaths in the region stood at six, it added.

Mumbai reported its first case of GBS on Friday after a 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with the rare nerve disorder, civic officials said.

Talking to PTI, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner and its state-appointed administrator, Bhushan Gagrani, said the patient was currently undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a civic-run hospital.

BMC officials said the woman, who resides in the Andheri (East) area of the city, was hospitalised with a history of fever and diarrhoea that was followed by ascending paralysis.

The woman was initially hospitalised on January 21. Within three days, she developed difficulty in walking and progressive weakness in her lower limbs, they said.

A provisional diagnosis of Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (AIDP), a variant of GBS, was made based on clinical findings and diagnostic tests, said the officials, and described her current condition as "moderate".

GBS is a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the peripheral nerves, resulting in muscle weakness, loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms, as well as problems swallowing or breathing.

Severe cases can result in near-total paralysis. GBS is more common in adults and males, though people of all ages can be affected.

Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar on Friday said the state government will bring a law to ensure people get clean drinking water and also fine entities that contaminate and pollute water.

The Pune Municipal Corporation, state health department, etc, have worked very hard to ensure GBS cases are contained, he told reporters.

"Several agencies such as an expert team from the Centre, World Health Organization and state health department are working in tandem on the various aspects of the disease and ensuring that such cases do not spread. Now, since it is confirmed that waterborne bacteria has triggered the outbreak, responsibility will be fixed and action taken," he asserted.

"We are also planning to bring a law with provisions of fines on those entities that contribute to the pollution and contamination of water. The new law will ensure common people get clean drinking water through their respective civic and local bodies. We will present a draft of the bill in the upcoming Budget session," Abitkar said.

He said the PMC has been directed to ensure proper chlorination of water in the Nanded village area, which has seen a high number of GBS cases.

"Proper monitoring is being done in Nanded village to ensure clean water is supplied. Various teams were tasked with collecting water samples from various sources, including sewage released by some resorts on the upper side of Khadakwasla dam. They are also verifying whether the contamination was triggered by poultry farms on the upper side of Khadakwasla," the minister said.