MUMBAI: The tally of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases in Maharashtra has reached 189, while the first GBS-suspected patient from Andheri-East was detected on Friday.
Mumbai's first GBS patient is a 64-year-old woman who was diagnosed with a rare nerve disorder and is admitted to Seven Hills hospital.
Bhushan Gagrani, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner confirmed the report of the first GBS patient in Mumbai. The patient is currently undergoing treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.
The patient was hospitalised on January 21 with a history of fever and diarrhoea that was followed by ascending paralysis. Within three days, she developed difficulty in walking, followed by progressive weakness in her lower limbs. Doctors diagnosed her with Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (AIDP), a variant of GBS, based on clinical findings and diagnostic tests.
The local BJP MLA Muraji Patel visited the hospital and urged the BMC to carry out the door-to-door survey of the Andheri East area to prevent the spread of GBS in Andheri and across Mumbai.
“The GBS patient of Andheri east is in stable condition. We asked the BMC to be alert and keep at least 50 beds ICU reserved for such a kind of patient as an emergency. Besides, all GBS patients will be treated at free of cost under the government health scheme,” BJP MLA said.
Rising GBS cases in Maharashtra
According to Maharashtra state health department, a total of 180 GBS-suspected cases have been reported so far, Of these 146 patients were diagnosed with the condition and six deaths have occurred. Out of the six fatalities, one has been confirmed as a GBS related death, while five are suspected cases.
Among the diagnosed patients, 35 are from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) area, 88 are from newly added villages in the PMC area, 25 are from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), and 24 are from Pune Rural. Eight patients are from other districts. Out of these 79 patients have been discharged till now, 58 are in ICU and 22 are on ventilators.
Understanding GBS
GBS is a rare condition in which a person's immune system attacks the peripheral nerves, resulting in muscle weakness, the loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms, as well as problems swallowing or breathing. Severe cases can result in near-total paralysis. GBS is more common in adults and males, though people of all ages can be affected.