Tue Jan 28 05:59:13 UTC 2025: ## Pune Battles Guillain-Barré Syndrome Outbreak: 110 Cases, One Death Reported
**Pune, India (January 28, 2025)** – A surge in suspected Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases has gripped Pune, with 110 individuals affected as of Monday. This includes 73 men and 37 women, 13 of whom are currently on ventilator support. One death, possibly the first in Maharashtra linked to GBS, has been reported in a 40-year-old man who had traveled to Pune from Solapur.
The outbreak has prompted a significant response from health authorities. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has established a 45-bed ward at Kamala Nehru Hospital dedicated to GBS patients. Investigations into the cause are underway, with 44 stool samples testing positive for norovirus (14) and campylobacter (5). While 59 blood samples tested negative for Zika, dengue, and chikungunya, seven out of 34 water samples showed contamination, pointing to a potential link between contaminated water and the outbreak. The majority of cases (80%) appear centered around a specific well in Nanded village.
Maharashtra’s Health Minister, Prakash Abitkar, confirmed the death and announced that GBS has been included in the Mahatma Phule Health Scheme, providing free treatment up to ₹2 lakh. He further stated that the state government is working to establish comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent future outbreaks and ensure clean drinking water supplies. The minister also emphasized that GBS primarily affects individuals with weakened immune systems.
The central government has dispatched a seven-member expert team to assist state and local authorities in managing the situation. The PMC is supplying clean drinking water via tankers to affected areas and has appealed to private medical practitioners to report any suspected GBS cases to public health authorities. Minister Abitkar assured that measures are being taken to hold those responsible for any water contamination accountable.
First Piper 