GBS outbreak in Pune: Nine cases reported in district, tally goes up to 110; testing underway

GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs, loose motions etc

Pune on Monday reported nine suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), an immunological nerve disorder, taking the tally in Maharashtra's second largest city to 110, officials said, reported the PTI.

These comprise 73 men and 37 women, with 13 patients being on ventilator support, a health official said.

"A total of 35068 houses have been surveyed so far, including 23017 houses under Pune Municipal Corporation, 4441 houses under Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, and 7610 houses in rural Pune. We have sent 44 stool samples to NIV Pune. All were tested for enteric virus panels. Of these, 14 samples are positive for Noro virus and five stool samples have returned positive for campylobacter," he said, according to the PTI.

The official said 59 blood samples were sent to NIV, and all have tested negative for Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya.

"As many as 34 water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory. Of these, seven samples reported water contamination," the official added.

An appeal has been made to private medical practitioners to notify any GBS patient to the respective public health authorities, he said.

GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs, loose motions etc. Bacterial and viral infections generally lead to GBS as they weaken the immunity of patients, as per doctors.

GBS outbreak in Pune: BMC begins taking precautionary measures in city, claims no case reported in Mumbai so far

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has began taking precautionary measures in city following the GBS outbreak in Pune district of Maharashtra, the civic body said on Tuesday.

The BMC claimed that no case of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) have been found in the city so far but as a precautionary measure, arrangements have been made for 60 incentive care unit (ICU) beds with ventilators; an additional 100 ICU beds can be arranged in civic hospitals.

According to reports, more than 70 cases of GBS have been reported in Pune since January 9, 2025.

"The BMC has reviewed the situation concerning Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)," said an official from the BMC health department.

All government and private healthcare institutions in Mumbai have been instructed to inform the Public Health Department's Epidemic Cell of any new GBS cases.

(with PTI inputs)

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