No Risk of Guillain Barre Syndrome in Bengal: State Health Officials
Click to start listening
Synopsis
The West Bengal Health Department has stated there is no need for alarm regarding Guillain Barre Syndrome, following reports of cases in Maharashtra. Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam confirmed the situation is under control and has been verified by the WHO.
Key Takeaways
- No current threat of Guillain Barre Syndrome in West Bengal.
- Health Secretary reassures public of situation's stability.
- WHO has confirmed the lack of new reports since December 2024.
- Monitoring teams are observing the situation continuously.
- Children under 15 are generally more affected.
Kolkata, Jan 28 (NationPress) Following a report from Maharashtra that confirmed one fatality and 110 suspected cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome, the West Bengal Health Department announced on Tuesday that there is no cause for alarm regarding the neurological condition in the state.
A declaration by state Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam asserted that Guillain Barre Syndrome is not a novel occurrence.
He noted that there have been isolated instances of individuals affected by Guillain Barre Syndrome.
However, he emphasized that there is no reason for concern in West Bengal as neither is this condition new, nor have there been any fresh reports of individuals being diagnosed since December 2024.
Additionally, he affirmed that his statements have been corroborated by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Nigam mentioned that typically, children under 15 years of age are predominantly affected by this illness.
Nonetheless, he reassured that the state Health Department's medical teams are closely monitoring the situation.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome leads to rapid muscle weakness triggered by the immune system attacking the peripheral nervous system.
Earlier this week, Maharashtra reported its first death linked to Guillain Barre Syndrome. On Monday night, the Maharashtra government urged residents not to panic and to visit any government hospital if any symptoms arise.
According to available statistics, out of the 110 reported cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome in Maharashtra, 88 are from Pune, 15 from Pimpri, and the remaining seven from other districts. Among these cases, 73 are men and 37 are women, with 13 individuals currently on ventilators.
