GBS outbreak: Mumbai confirms first death, state reports 7 fatalities
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Mumbai: A 53-year-old ward attendant from Wadala, employed at the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's VN Desai Hospital, has succumbed to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) at Nair Hospital, marking the first reported death due to the disease in Mumbai.
The patient was admitted to Nair Hospital on January 23 with a fever and later diagnosed with GBS after a series of medical tests, including those revealing fluid accumulation in his brain. As his condition deteriorated, he was moved to the intensive care unit for critical care. Despite extensive treatment, including a tracheostomy, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for five days, plasma exchange, and antibiotics for a lower respiratory tract infection, he passed away late on Monday night. Nair Hospital Dean Dr. Shailesh Mohite confirmed his death, with the hospital’s Department of Community Medicine listing the cause as "septic shock with sepsis, lower respiratory tract infection, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome."
Meanwhile, a 16-year-old girl from Palghar district has been admitted to Nair Hospital with GBS symptoms. Currently undergoing treatment, her condition remains stable.
According to the state Public Health Department, as of February 11, a total of 197 suspected GBS cases have been reported, of which 172 were confirmed. Seven deaths have occurred, including four confirmed GBS-related fatalities and three suspected cases. The majority of cases have been recorded in Pune, with 40 patients from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 92 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 29 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 28 from Pune rural, and eight from other districts.
State Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar has urged citizens not to panic and to take preventive measures such as drinking boiled water and consuming fresh food to reduce the risk of infection.
With IANS inputs