8-year-old among five GBS cases in Nagpur

Nagpur: After the spurt in Pune, sporadic cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been reported from public and private hospitals in Nagpur too. GBS is a neurological disorder caused after a viral infection. A sudden surge in cases in Pune has caused panic among people, while neurologists and civic health officials have downplayed the trends saying GBS is a non-contagious disease caused when the body's immune system attacks its own tissues.

Government Medical College, and Indira Gandhi Govt Medical College each have two patients of GBS under treatment right now, said sources. A 19-year-old patient is under treatment with mild symptoms at GMCH while an 8-year-old kid in reported to be in critical condition there.

IGGMCH has a 37-year-old patient on ventilator while one other patient too is under treatment.

NMC officials said GBS is not a notifiable disease. A well known neurologist said the outbreak in Pune is following contamination of sewage water in drinking water sources, and limited to only those areas where tapped drinking water is not supplied.