Pune GBS Death Toll: PMC Report Reveals True Count of Fatalities, Experts Raise Concerns
Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Advises Against Undercooked Chicken Amid GBS Scare
Pune is witnessing a surge in Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases, raising alarm among health authorities. While official figures indicate six GBS-related deaths in Maharashtra, a recent investigation by the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Death Audit Committee suggests discrepancies in the reported numbers.
Rising GBS Cases in Pune
The number of suspected GBS cases in Pune has now reached 183, with 151 confirmed diagnoses. On Saturday, three new suspected cases were identified. Despite reports citing six fatalities due to GBS, health experts claim that the actual cause of death in some cases may differ.
Death Audit Committee Findings
To investigate the cause of deaths, PMC formed a Death Audit Committee led by Dr. Neena Borade, Chief of Health at PMC. The committee comprises experts in infectious diseases, neurology, and pediatrics, along with specialists from both government and private institutions. Their detailed analysis of the six deaths has led to startling revelations.
According to the committee’s report, four deaths were examined:
- A 65-year-old man from Nanded and a 40-year-old man from Dhayari were confirmed to have died due to GBS complications.
- A 36-year-old man from Pimpri Gurav, evaluated by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) audit committee, was also confirmed as a GBS-related death.
Misreported Cases
However, the report clarifies that the remaining deaths were not directly caused by GBS:
- A 56-year-old woman from Nandoshi was diagnosed with GBS but died due to sepsis.
- A 60-year-old man from Warje Malwadi succumbed to viral encephalomyelitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), not GBS.
- A 63-year-old man from Karve Nagar was wrongly labeled as a GBS fatality; he actually died from an acute ischemic stroke, which shares symptoms with GBS.
Dr. Sudhir Patsute, an infectious disease specialist and committee member, emphasized that only three out of the six reported deaths were genuinely caused by GBS. PCMC health officer Dr. Laxman Gophane also confirmed that the 36-year-old man from YCM Hospital was officially classified as a GBS fatality.
Current GBS Death Toll in Pune
With these findings, the revised count indicates that only three deaths in Pune have been directly linked to GBS, while the other cases resulted from separate medical conditions. Health officials continue to monitor the situation closely, urging the public to stay informed and seek timely medical attention if symptoms appear.
