Union Health Ministry team to assess Guillain-Barré outbreak in Pune
Union Health Ministry team to assess Guillain-Barré outbreak in Pune
A seven-member Union Health Ministry team will be supporting the government of Maharashtra in assessing the Guillain-Barré outbreak in Pune.
While three members have already reached Pune and started working to contain the situation other members are to join the team next week, a senior Health Ministry official confirmed.
Six more people were detected with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) on Friday, taking the total patient count in the district to 73.
GBS is an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves. Symptoms include numbness of limbs or prolonged diarrhoea.
Bacterial and viral infections generally lead to GBS as they weaken the immunity of patients, as per doctors.
The State Health Department, on Tuesday, set up a Rapid Response Team to investigate the sudden rise in this infection after 24 suspected cases were found initially.
It added that total number of GBS cases increased to 73, comprising 47 men and 26 women.
“Of these, 14 are on ventilator support,” said an official from the State Health Department. He added that GBS patients in most cases recover fully with treatment.
(with PTI inputs)
