Pune: The second fatality due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in Pune was recorded on Tuesday (January 29) morning, as a 56-year-old woman from Nandoshi (Sinhagad Road) succumbed to the disease while undergoing treatment at Sassoon General Hospital.
Prior to this, a 40-year-old man from DSK Vishva Society, Dhayari, had died on January 25 while receiving treatment at Markandeya Cooperative Hospital in Solapur.
According to health department officials, the deceased woman had initially exhibited fever and weakness, followed by partial paralysis on January 15. She was first admitted to a local private hospital, but her condition deteriorated, leading to full-body paralysis, and she was subsequently transferred to Sassoon General Hospital on January 17.
On Tuesday, she passed away due to respiratory failure and a severe infection affecting her lungs and trachea. It was also revealed that she had been suffering from oral cancer, which may have further complicated her condition, said Dr. Neena Borade, Chief Health Officer, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Surge in Cases: Total GBS Count Reaches 127 in Pune
On Wednesday (January 29), 16 new cases of GBS were reported in Pune, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 127. On Monday, the count was at 111, which remained unchanged on Tuesday.
However, further assessment revealed an additional 15 cases from the past few days, along with one fresh case on Wednesday, leading to a total increase of 16 cases. According to the State Epidemic Department, 20 patients are currently on ventilator support due to severe complications.
Nanded Villagers Demand Thorough Investigation into GBS Outbreak
Residents of Nanded have raised concerns over the impact of GBS, particularly among children, who are currently undergoing treatment in private hospitals.
A seven-member Central Integrated Survey Team visited Nanded on Wednesday at 11:30 AM to inspect a public well suspected to be linked to the outbreak. However, upon noticing the presence of media personnel, the officials chose not to proceed with the inspection and attempted to leave.
This led to strong opposition from local leaders and residents, including former Sarpanch Vijay Kolhe, Gokul Karanjavane, former Deputy Sarpanch Rupesh Ghule, Rahul Ghule, Prajyot Lagad, and Anil Mate, who confronted the officials near their vehicles.
When the officials initially refused to step out, villagers staged a sit-in protest on the road, forcing them to engage in discussions with both local representatives and the media.
Authorities Conduct Overnight Cleaning Ahead of Official Inspection
Ahead of the survey team’s arrival, local authorities conducted an overnight cleaning operation around the public well, continuing until 2 AM. Additionally, in the Nanded Phata area, speed breakers were installed and roads were repainted with fresh white markings.
Villagers, including Ajay Darwatkar, expressed their frustration, claiming that no water supply had been provided through pipelines for the past two years.