Mumbai Reports First Death Due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome, Cases Rise to 8

MUMBAI: Mumbai has reported its first death due to the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak. A 53-year-old patient, who was admitted to Nayar Hospital and was on a ventilator, died due to the virus. The total number of cases has risen to eight in Maharashtra .

According to reports, the patient was from Vadala and had worked as a ward boy at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s B. N. Desai Hospital.

This comes after Mumbai reported its first case of the GBS virus when a 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disease.

The woman had a history of diarrhea and fever, which was followed by ascending paralysis.

According to news agency PTI, the tally of suspected and confirmed Guillain-Barré Syndrome cases in Pune alone reached 197. This comes after five more patients were detected with the rare nerve disorder. The total number of fatalities in Maharashtra has now risen to eight.

In an official release, the health department said: "Of the 197 cases, 172 have been diagnosed with GBS. At least 40 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation areas, 92 from newly added villages in the PMC, 29 from the Pimpri-Chinchwad civic limits, 28 from Pune Rural, and eight from other districts. While 104 patients have been discharged, 50 are in ICU, and 20 are on ventilator support."

Meanwhile, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has ensured proper measures in response to the growing GBS outbreak.

Officials have sealed 30 private water plants in the epicenter of the outbreak, which is located in Nanded Village, Hayari, and nearby areas along Sinhgad Road in Pune. The decision to shut down the plants came after water samples collected from them were found to be unfit for consumption.

What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

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 with swallowing or breathing.

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

(Inputs from agencies)