PUNE: Six more people were detected with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) on Friday, taking the total patient count in the district to 73.
The Union health ministry has decided to send a team of doctors to assist local authorities in investigating the cause of the GBS cases in the city.
Of the six new cases, two patients were traced during the state’s door-to-door survey to educate people about GBS, an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves. As on Friday, 14 patients are on ventilators.
According to the state health department’s note, 44 patients are from rural Pune, 11 from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits and 15 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) areas. The maximum patients are from Kirkitwadi (14), followed by DSK Vishwa (8), Nanded City (7) and Khadakwasala (6), a PMC note said.
Of the 73 GBS patients, as many as 48 are male and 24 female. Three of them are below five years old.
The national team from the central surveillance unit took cognizance of the spurt in GBS cases in Pune. It has called for a meeting with the state and civic officials. Dr Babita Kamalapurkar, joint director of epidemiology department, communicated with the central surveillance unit through a video meet and provided information about the patients on Friday.
Hospitals stock up on injections as cases rise
The state teams, along with PMC, PCMC and district health office, surveyed about 7,200 homes in two days. Most were along Sinhagad Road. “Anyone detected with GBS symptoms, like as numbness of limbs or prolonged diarrhoea, during the surveys are being advised to seek treatment,” said Dr Kamalapurkar.
Hospitals, including Sassoon hospital, are stocking up on injectables and medicines to avoid IVIG injection shortage.
Dr Eknath Pawar, dean at BJMC and Sassoon General Hospital, said, “We have 16 patients right now. Two are in the paediatric unit. They are showing improvement. We have stocked IVIG injections and sought stock from other medical colleges. We have adequate filters for plasmapheresis.”
Sources in the health ministry said NIV Pune has identified certain viral and bacterial infections in some of the samples taken from people diagnosed with GBS. “Further investigation is on to confirm if the infection led to the autoimmune disorders,” said a source.
(With inputs from Delhi)
