Maharashtra: 36-year-old cab driver passes away from suspected Guillain-Barre syndrome in Pune

A 36-year-old male from Pimplegurav, who worked as an Ola-Uber driver, was admitted to Yashwantrao Chavan Hospital on January 21 due to suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The patient's health deteriorated, and he passed away on January 30, 2025, according to a press note issued by the health department of Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation on Friday.

According to the press statement, "A post-mortem examination conducted by a committee at Yashwantrao Chavan Friendship Hospital concluded that the primary cause of death was trauma to the respiratory system caused by pneumonia, leading to subsequent death." The statement also mentioned that the deceased was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, and a nerve conduction test was performed on January 22.

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Further, the committee outlined the reasons for death. The immediate cause of death was severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, with bilateral pneumonia cited as the antecedent cause. Guillain-Barre Syndrome was noted as another significant condition contributing to the death.

As of January 30, the Maharashtra State Health Department reported a total of 130 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS), with 3 individuals having succumbed to the disease. Of these, 73 patients have been confirmed to have GBS. Among the confirmed cases, 25 patients are from Pune Municipal Corporation, 74 from newly added villages in the PMC area, 13 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 9 from Pune Rural, and 9 from other districts. Currently, 20 of the affected individuals are on ventilator support.

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In response to the growing number of cases, the Union Health Ministry has sent a high-level multi-disciplinary team to Pune to assist state authorities in managing the outbreak of suspected and confirmed Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). The central team consists of seven experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Delhi, NIMHANS in Bengaluru, the Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare, and the National Institute for Virology (NIV) in Pune. Three experts from NIV, Pune, had already been assisting local authorities before the central team’s arrival.

The team is working closely with state health departments to assess the on-ground situation and recommend the necessary public health interventions. They have also been tasked with monitoring the situation and coordinating efforts with the state. In addition, water samples from different parts of the city have been sent to the Public Health Laboratory for chemical and biological analysis.