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Pune reports 7th GBS fatality, 3 more cases take suspected case count to 192

Of the 4,769 water samples collected from different parts of the city that have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, samples from 65 water sources were found contaminated.

State health officials said while 91 patients have been discharged till now, 48 are in ICU and 21 are on ventilator support. (Express file photo by Amit Chakravarty)

A 37-year-old man from Upper Indiranagar, Bibvewadi, died of of Guillain Barre Syndrome (GBS), making it the seventh fatality from the autoimmune neurological disease, while three new suspected cases were reported on Tuesday, taking the case count to 192.

Of the 192 suspected patients detected till date, 167 patients tested positive for GBS.

In the latest case, Dr Nina Borade, chief medical officer (health) of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) told The Indian Express that the man had travelled to Sangli and was admitted to Bharati hospital there. He had weakness in the limbs on January 31 and had difficulty in breathing.

The man was administered intravenous immunoglobulin injection but relatives later took a discharge against medical advice and admitted him to Kamala Nehru Hospital on February 5. He suffered a cardiac arrest and succumbed to septic shock with acute coronary syndrome, according to Pune district health officials.

Of the total patients, 39 are from Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), 91 from villages newly added in PMC’s jurisdiction, 29 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation area, 25 from Pune rural and eight from other districts. State health officials said while 91 patients have been discharged till now, 48 are in ICU and 21 are on ventilator support.

65 water sources found to be contaminated

Of the 4,769 water samples collected from different parts of the city that have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, samples from 65 water sources were found contaminated.

“We have issued instructions to increase health promotion activities and an appeal has been made to the private medical practitioners to notify any GBS patient to public health authorities. Citizens should not panic as the state’s health department is implementing preventive and control measures,” said Dr Babita Kamalapurkar, Joint Director of health, Maharashtra. Meanwhile, 82 serum samples have been sent to NIMHANS Bengaluru for Antiganglioside Antibodies testing. Health advisories have been issued urging citizens to use only good-quality water.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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