A water quality survey conducted in Nanded village, the epicentre of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in Pune, has revealed a lack of chlorine in the drinking water supplied to households of 26 patients affected by the nerve disorder, officials said. GBS is a rare condition that leads to sudden numbness and muscle weakness, with symptoms including severe weakness in the limbs.
On Tuesday, three new cases of GBS were reported in Pune, Maharashtra, pushing the total count to 166, officials said. According to the Rapid Response Team (RRT), which is investigating the outbreak in Nanded and nearby areas along Sinhagad Road, Nanded alone has 77 GBS patients. Water samples were collected from the households of 62 affected patients to assess drinking water quality.
The findings of the house-to-house survey revealing a lack of chlorine in drinking water were discussed in a meeting of the Rapid Response Team (RRT). Experts have urged the Pune Municipal Corporation's (PMC) water supply department to take immediate action to maintain a chlorine level of 0.2 PPM (parts per million) in household water supply to ensure public health safety.
"While water at the source (well) was found to be adequately purified with sufficient chlorine levels, zero chlorine was detected in households of out 26 patients out of 62," an RRT member said.
The water supply department must take immediate action to ensure a minimum chlorine level of 0.2 PPM in the household water supply, an official said.
Last week, Maharashtra Health Minister Prakash Abitkar revealed that 80% of the suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) cases in Pune were reported from areas surrounding a mega well in Nanded. He also noted that the high concentration of cases in certain areas appeared to be linked to suspected water contamination.