GBS outbreak claims 2 lives in MP town; govt ramps up detection, treatment
After more than a dozen cases were detected in Manasa town, authorities were asked to set up a control room there, create a special ward for GBS patients at the local government hospital and make other arrangements to combat the epidemic.
Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Public Health and Medical Education Rajendra Shukla visited Manasa, 30 km from the district headquarters, on Saturday to review the situation.
After meeting with officials, Shukla told reporters that the first GBS patients in Manasa were identified on January 12 and were admitted to hospitals in Jaipur and Ahmedabad. He said that 14 GBS patients have been detected so far in Manasa, which has a population of approximately 35 thousand.
“Unfortunately, 2 patients lost their lives. The other 2 patients were connected to life support and their condition is now out of danger,” he said.
GBS is a disease in which the patient’s immune system mistakenly begins attacking the peripheral nervous system. In GBS patients, some parts of the body suddenly become numb, muscle weakness develops, and difficulty in swallowing and breathing may occur.
The disease is sometimes linked to eating undercooked poultry, unpasteurized dairy products, or consuming water contaminated with sewage. The deputy CM said that the state government is bearing the cost of treatment of patients.
Shukla said he directed the authorities to set up a control room in Manasa, create a special ward for GBS patients in the government hospital, deploy ambulances equipped with life-saving systems and ensure adequate stock of medicines and injections.
He said that efforts to raise awareness among the people of Manas about measures to prevent the GBS epidemic are continuing, and door-to-door surveys are being conducted to check people’s health status.
However, the state government is yet to establish how GBS spread in the town.
“Samples collected from a water purification plant and other places were not prima facie found to be contaminated. Samples of patients’ blood serum, food items and other materials were sent to institutes in Hyderabad, Kolkata and Pune for testing,” Shukla said. he said.
