A 41-year-old chartered accountant (CA) has been confirmed as the first casualty of the Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) outbreak in Pune, which has seen a surge in cases since early January. The victim, who was hospitalized in Solapur, died late Saturday after a prolonged battle with the rare neurological disorder, according to the Maharashtra health department.
State Health Minister Prakash Abitkar confirmed the death, stating, “It’s a confirmed GBS case,” during a press conference on Monday. The incident follows the death of another patient in Solapur on January 25, who was initially suspected to have contracted GBS.
Since the outbreak began on January 9, Pune has reported 111 confirmed cases of GBS, with the number rising steadily over the past three weeks. The figure had reached 101 by Sunday. Among the patients, at least 17 are on ventilator support, and seven have been discharged, Abitkar revealed.
In response to the outbreak, the central government has dispatched a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Pune to review the situation and assist in the implementation of public health measures. The team, comprising experts from Delhi and Bengaluru, is expected to play a crucial role in controlling the spread of the disease.
The victim’s family described his condition leading up to the hospitalization. On January 9, the CA experienced a bout of diarrhea and took over-the-counter medication. On January 14, he traveled with his family to Solapur, feeling better after the initial medication. However, by January 17, he began to feel weak again, prompting his hospitalization the following day.
Despite initial recovery in the ICU, the patient’s condition worsened, leading to his death after six days of treatment. Doctors at the hospital confirmed the diagnosis of GBS, administering nerve-conduction tests and starting treatment according to medical protocols. “He responded well initially but his condition worsened again, characterized by weakness in the limbs and total paralysis,” a doctor from the hospital said.
Dr. Sanjeev Thakur, Dean of Vaishampayan Medical College in Solapur, mentioned that tests on the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid, nerve tissue, and other organs are underway. “We are going to carry out tests on fluids to look for infections that likely triggered GBS. We expect results in 7-8 days,” he added.
In Pune, health experts have identified the bacteria Campylobacter jejuni and norovirus in samples from the cluster. Dr. Rakhi Mane, head of the Solapur Municipal Corporation’s health department, confirmed that the deceased patient had been given a five-day course of immunoglobulin injections as part of his treatment.
