PUNE: In response to the rise in suspected Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) cases, public health officials have been actively investigating affected areas in Pune. On Saturday, 9 new suspected cases were reported, bringing the total number of cases to 82. Six of the new cases are from Pune rural, two from Pune city, and one from another district.

Dr. Babita Kamlapurkar, joint director of health services, led a team of officials, including Dr. Nina Borade, health chief of Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), and Dr. Vaishali Jadhav, assistant health chief. The team visited key locations, including Nandegaon, Kirkitwadi, and the Dhayreshwar Temple. They also inspected Nandegaon’s primary water source, a well, as the contamination of local water could be contributing to the outbreak.

Focused on Water Safety
Dr. Borade stated, “We’ve been instructed to conduct a sanitary survey and treat water sources promptly. The surrounding areas should be cleaned, and frequent water sampling should be done to check for contamination.” The team is also monitoring water supplied by tankers and checking for any leaks that could lead to further contamination.

Efforts to Manage GBS
In an ongoing effort to manage the suspected outbreak, a meeting with officials from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and state health teams was held. They discussed the release of a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline the management of GBS cases.

So far, six patients have been successfully treated and discharged, providing hope for those affected.

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