Pune driver, 37, dies from Guillain-Barre Syndrome amid outbreak, death toll rises to 7

Guillain-Barre Syndrome claimed the life of a 37-year-old driver in Pune, marking the seventh death linked to the condition.

A 37-year-old driver from Pune recently died from Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), a rare and potentially deadly neurological disorder, bringing the total death toll linked to GBS in the region to 7.

According to a release from the state health department, 48 GBS patients were in ICU and 21 on ventilator,(Praful Gangurde/HT)

According to a Pune Civic official, the driver, whose identity has not been disclosed, was initially brought to a Pune hospital after he complained of weakness in his lower limbs.

"The deceased worked as a driver in Pune. He was initially brought to a city-based hospital following complaints of weakness in the lower limbs," a Pune civic health official said on Monday.

However, his relatives decided to transfer him to Nipani in Karnataka on February 1, before seeking treatment at a hospital in Sangli. There, he was administered intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), a common treatment for GBS.

Despite this, his condition worsened, and on February 5, the patient was readmitted to Pune’s Kamala Nehru Hospital against medical advice.

"On February 5, the relatives of the patient took a discharge against the medical advice (from Sangli) and admitted him the same day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Pune Municipal Corporation-run Kamala Nehru Hospital, according to officials.

During his time at the Pune hospital, the patient tragically suffered supra-ventricular tachycardia, a heart rhythm disorder during treatment. "He suffered a cardiac arrest on February 9 and died," the official added.

GBS outbreak in Pune: Total cases rise to 192

According to officials, of the 192 suspected cases, 167 patients were diagnosed with GBS.

Of the 192 cases, 39 patients were from Pune Municipal Corporation areas, 91 were from newly-added villages in the civic area, 29 were from Pimpri Chinchwad civic body, 25 were from Pune rural region and eight were from other districts.

Among these cases, 91 patients have been discharged, 48 were in ICU and 21 were on ventilators, according to a release from the state health department.

What is Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)?

Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare neurological condition in which the body's immune system attacks part of the peripheral nervous system, according to the World Health Organization.

In this syndrome, the nerves controlling muscle movement and those that carry pain, temperature, and touch sensations are affected leading to muscle weakness, loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms, and difficulties in swallowing or breathing.

(With PTI inputs)