The number of suspected deaths in Maharashtra due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder, rose to four on Friday, while the tally of cases recorded in the state so far stood at 140, health officials said.
A 36-year-old man died due to "trauma to the respiratory system due to pneumonia" at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital in the neighbouring Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation limits on Thursday.
The fourth suspected victim was a 60-year-old man from Dhayari area off Sinhgad Road in Pune who died on Friday.
The man was admitted to the hospital on January 27 following loose motions and weakness in the lower limbs. He died due to cardiac arrest, according to the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) health department.
According to state health officials, of 140 suspected patients, 98 were diagnosed as confirmed GBS cases.
"A total of 26 patients are from Pune city, 78 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 15 from Pimpri Chinchwad, 10 from Pune Rural and 11 are from other districts," said the official release.
No fresh case was reported on Friday.
Most of the cases recorded in the state are from Pune and surrounding areas.
A total of 160 water samples from different parts of Pune city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, and samples from eight water sources were found contaminated.
An official said Escherichia coli or E-Coli bacteria was found in one of the samples obtained from some private borewells located in Sinhgad Road area.
E.coli in water is a sign of faecal or animal waste contamination and the prevalence of bacteria can lead to GBS infection, he said.
Following the increase in GBS cases in Nanded, Kirkatwadi, Dhayari and other localities on Sinhgad Road, the Pune Municipal Corporation has been collecting water samples from borewells and wells for investigations.
"Yesterday, we collected some samples from private borewells and wells in the GBS affected areas of Sinhgad Road. In one of the samples, E-Coli bacteria was found," said PMC water supply department chief Nandkishor Jagtap said.
Two days ago a meeting was held of operators of private tubewells and borewells and they were instructed to use bleaching power solutions provided by PMC to ensure the bacteria is contained, Jagtap said.
"Our chemists gave them a demonstration on how to mix the solutions in the water. The borewell point in Nanded area, which provides 30 to 40 tankers to nearby housing societies, has been issued a notice to use bleaching power solutions, failing which action will be taken," he informed.
Meanwhile, a woman from Siddipet district in Telangana has been diagnosed with GBS, making it the first known case in the state.
According to a statement issued by KIMS Hospital in Hyderabad on Friday, the patient has no travel history to Pune.
"A 25-year-old woman from Siddipet, Telangana, is currently admitted and is put on a ventilator support treatment at KIMS Hospital after being diagnosed with GBS," it said.
According to Consultant Neurologist Dr Praveen Kumar Yada, "Despite the high prevalence of this disease in Pune, Maharashtra, the patient has no history of travel to Pune, nor does anyone in her family have a history of this condition. The GBS occurs when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous system after fever or loose motions."
The woman initially received treatment at another hospital for a week, but as her condition worsened, she was shifted to KIMS Hospital for advanced medical care. Due to the severity of her condition, she is currently being treated entirely on ventilator support.
When contacted, the District Medical and Health Officer of Siddipet told PTI that the case has not come to the notice of the administration.
GBS is a rare condition that causes sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs.
Most of the cases in the state are from Pune and surrounding areas. These infections, including the latest case, are likely linked to contaminated water sources.
Campylobacter jejuni, a bacteria found in contaminated food and water, is believed to be the reason for the outbreak.
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