Maharashtra: Mumbai reports first death due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome, toll rises to 8

A 53-year-old man suffering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) died in Mumbai on Wednesday, marking the city’s first death due to the rare neurological disorder and the eighth death in Maharashtra.

He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Nair Hospital on January 26 and was subsequently put on a ventilator after breathing problems. The patient had returned from Pune 16 days before his admission at the hospital.

Earlier on Tuesday, a 37-year-old driver from Pune also succumbed to the illness.

Mumbai recorded its first case of GBS on February 7 after a 64-year-old woman was diagnosed with the disorder, civic officials confirmed.

Speaking to PTI, BMC commissioner and state-appointed administrator Bhushan Gagrani said that the patient is currently receiving treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a civic-run hospital.

According to BMC officials, the woman, a resident of Andheri East, was admitted with a history of fever and diarrhoea, followed by ascending paralysis. Further details on her condition are awaited.

Meanwhile, the number of suspected and confirmed GBS cases in Maharashtra’s Pune region has risen to 197 after five new cases were detected. A health department official said that these include two fresh cases and three previously identified ones.

"Of the 197 cases, 172 have been diagnosed with GBS. At least 40 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation areas, 92 from newly added villages in the PMC, 29 from the Pimpri Chinchwad civic limits, 28 from Pune Rural and eight from other districts," a health department release said.

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disorder that typically develops a few weeks after a viral infection, causing paralysis in all four limbs and, in some cases, affecting the neck, respiratory, and swallowing muscles. While the condition is more common in adults and males, it can impact individuals of all ages and genders.

Severe cases of GBS can result in near-total paralysis. The disorder usually begins with weakness in the lower limbs in about 95% of cases, while in the remaining 5%, it starts in the upper limbs.

Although there is no known cure for Guillain-Barré Syndrome, treatments are available to help alleviate symptoms and accelerate recovery. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), GBS is neither contagious nor inherited, and its exact cause remains unknown.

On February 3, the Union health minister JP Nadda chaired a high-level meeting with Maharashtra’s key health and medical officials to assess the public health response, including testing and treatment strategies for GBS patients in the state.

(With ANI, PTI inputs)