Rising Guillain-Barre Cases Alarm Health Officials in Maharashtra

In Maharashtra, India, Guillain-Barre syndrome cases are rising, with one death reported. Health officials are responding with preventive measures and federal intervention. Contamination from mixed drainage and potable water is a possible cause. The condition might follow infections but is not directly contagious.

The state of Maharashtra, India, is grappling with a worrying increase in cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), a neurological disorder that leads to numbness, weakness, and pain. Health officials confirmed on Monday that one person has died, and the number of cases, currently at 101, continues to rise.

In response, the state's public health department issued a statement revealing that 16 patients require ventilatory support in Solapur city. A rapid response team has been deployed to the affected areas to understand and contain the spread. The federal health ministry has dispatched a seven-member team to Pune, a major city grappling with the outbreak, to further assess the situation.

Even as efforts are being made to manage the outbreak, authorities are calming public fears by stating that GBS is a post-infective, autoimmune disorder which is not contagious. Experts suggest that the spike in cases could be linked to drainage and potable water contamination in Pune. Citizens have been advised to boil drinking water as a precautionary measure.

(With inputs from agencies.)