Mumbai, Jan 30 Maharashtra recorded the second suspected fatality of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) with the death of a 56-year-old woman on Sinhagad Road in Pune.
The woman died on Tuesday following respiratory failure with sepsis and was suffering from oral cancer.
The total number of GBS cases in the state has risen to 127.
According to the Pune Municipal Corporation sources, the woman, who complained of weakness, was admitted to a local hospital on January 15 before being referred to Sassoon General Hospital.
Earlier, on January 25, a 40-year-old man, residing in Pune's Dhayari area, died in Solapur. The doctors sent the report for further analysis to ascertain whether it was due to GBS.
The Public Health Department said that of the 127 suspected cases, 72 are diagnosed with GBS.
Of these, Pune Municipal Corporation reported 13, newly added villages in the Pune Municipal Corporation area (73), Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (13) and nine each from Pune rural and other districts. Of these 20 are currently on ventilator.
The state government has appealed to the citizens not to panic while Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the administration to make special arrangements in government hospitals to treat patients.
The Chief Minister has instructed that special arrangements should be made in government hospitals to ensure that patients get proper treatment. The treatment for this disease is included in the state health insurance scheme 'Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana'.
"If any further procedures are required, they should be done by the Public Health Department," CM Fadnavis said.
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that instructions have already been issued to the administration that patients in Pune city should be treated at the Kamla Nehru Hospital of the Pune Municipal Corporation and the Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation.
State Public Health Minister Prakash Abitkar clarified that GBS is a rare disease and not contagious as it occurs due to decreased immunity.
"A review has been conducted in Pune regarding this. Instructions have been given regarding treatment and examination. Accordingly, action is being taken by the state Public Health Department and the Health Department of both the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations," he added.
State Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif asked the administration to effectively, implement the Standard Operating Procedures to contain the GBS.
The Minister said the daily updated information on GBS patients should be submitted to the Commissioner of Medical Education and Research Department.
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