Amid a spike in Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune district, a 64-year-old female patient died on Thursday while undergoing treatment at Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital (YCMH) in Pimpri. According to the health department, this was the first suspected GBS-related death after the infection spread on January 20. However, Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) chief Shekhar Singh said they were not calling it a GBS-related death.

The patient was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic on November 15 last year

Dr Rajendra Wabale, Dean of PGI-YCMH, said, "The deceased woman, a resident of Pimpri, complained of fever and loss of strength in her legs. She was admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic on November 15 last year. Her condition continued to deteriorate, and on the third day of admission, she developed respiratory muscle paralysis. She was diagnosed with the Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN) variant of GBS on November 19 and was put on treatment. Later, an intubation facility was provided due to complaints of difficulty breathing. Given the financial constraints, the family shifted the patient from Ruby Hall Clinic to DY Patil Hospital on November 24. The patient was later transferred to PGI-YCMH on November 29 due to financial exhaustion. She eventually died of septicemia and pneumonia."

"Currently, we have only three GBS patients, two of which are confirmed cases by the NIV and one suspected case. They are in stable condition; none of them are on ventilators. We are closely monitoring the GBS patients," added Wabale.

The patient died of septicemia

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Shekhar Singh said GBS deaths will only be considered if patients were diagnosed in the last 15 days. "We have investigated the entire case and we are not calling it a GBS death. We will consider a GBS death only in cases where the patient has been diagnosed with the GBS cluster in the past 15 days. The deceased woman was diagnosed with GBS on November 15, admitted to Ruby Hall Clinic, and then shifted to DY Patil Hospital, where she stayed for 40 days before being admitted to YCMH. She was a confirmed case of GBS; however, it cannot be linked to the current cluster of suspected cases. The patient died on Thursday of septicemia."

PCMC has so far reported 12 GBS cases

PCMC has so far reported 12 GBS cases. Laxman Gophane, medical officer with the PCMC health department, said, "Of the 12 patients reported so far, four are admitted at PGI-YCMH and two at a private hospital. All are stable. Six other patients have been discharged."

Meanwhile, a 34-year-old male resident of Pimple Gurav was diagnosed with the AMAN variant of GBS on Thursday. This variant affects motor nerve fibres, officials informed.