Pune has emerged as a hotspot for Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases in Maharashtra, with a significant rise in the number of patients. According to the health department, 73 GBS cases have been reported statewide, of which 70 are from Pune district.
Among these, 44 cases are from rural Pune, 11 from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) areas, and 15 from Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) limits.
As of now, 14 patients are on ventilator support, and health authorities are working intensively in affected areas. A total of 7,215 households have been surveyed by the health department to identify symptomatic individuals.
PMC teams have surveyed 1,943 households, PCMC teams 1,750 households, and rural health teams 3,522 households. To understand the cause, stool and blood samples from patients have been sent to the National Institute of Virology.
Preliminary reports reveal infections caused by Campylobacter jejuni and norovirus in some patients. Additionally, water samples from affected areas in Pune are undergoing chemical and biological testing at the State Public Health Laboratory, and results are awaited.
The health department has also deployed rapid response teams in areas with a higher concentration of cases. These teams are monitoring the situation closely and coordinating with local health officials to prevent further spread.
The age-wise distribution of GBS cases highlights that individuals across all age groups are affected, with the highest number of cases (15) reported in the 60–69 age group.
