PUNE: There has been a significant increase in cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune and the surrounding areas. According to officials, the infection is primarily linked to contaminated water and unclean food, among other factors.
So far, 73 confirmed cases have been reported, comprising 47 males and 26 females.
The majority of these cases have come from Pune’s Kirkatwadi, Nandoshi, Nanded, Dhayari, and Sinhagad Road.
Primarily caused by the Norovirus, GBS spreads through contaminated food or water and can also be transmitted through airborne particles when an infected person vomits. Of the 73 GBS patients, 44 are from Pune rural, 11 are from Pune city, and they belong to the Pimpri Chinchwad area.
Fourteen GBS patients are stated to be on ventilators.
The infection usually lasts for one to three days, while some cases lead to severe health complications. The local health authority has sent GBS patients’ samples to the National Institute of Virology for further testing. However, the initial reports from the NIV indicated the presence of Campylobacter jejuni bacteria and Norovirus, both of which are spread through contaminated food and water. The symptoms of both infections include abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
The local Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) initiated a survey of these affected areas and even issued an inspection report of Parvati Water Treatment Centre that confirmed the presence of contaminated water. Residents of these areas have been asked to drink clean drinking water by boiling and purifying it before consumption.
Besides, it was also observed that in GBS-affected areas, the PMC lacks adequate infrastructure, such as water pipelines, to supply clean drinking water, making the residents dependent on private water tankers and other unverified sources.
As part of the ongoing efforts, the municipal corporation has decided to install mesh barriers on the wells supplying water to the areas of Kirkatwadi and Khadakwasla to prevent contamination.
Residents have raised concerns regarding the presence of waste and sewage near the wells, which could exacerbate the health risks in the area. After a sudden rise in the number of GBS-diagnosed patients, the Pune Municipal Corporation has initiated house-to-house measures to contain the spread of GBS at an early stage.
The PMC health department has surveyed 1,943 households in Pune, 1,750 households in the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation area, and 3,522 households in Pune rural areas. As many as 7,215 household surveys were carried out. PMC has constituted 100 health survey teams in Pune.