Navi Mumbai: The Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has launched an awareness drive across suspected places and collected water samples following reports of two confirmed cases of the rare and serious autoimmune disorder Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). The two cases were reported in the last fortnight from the Aadhar Multispecialty Hospital, Panvel.Both the patients stay in the Takka village. The first patient is a 40-year-old male. He came from Vichumbe village but is a resident of Chowk, Khalapur taluka. He was released from the hospital after treatment on June 15. The second patient is a 71-year-old female from Konkan undergoing treatment but had a travel history of Chardham journey.The disease is triggered by a preceding viral or bacterial infection arising out of consuming contaminated water, eating outside food, among others. Antibodies are developed against the autoimmune system. This affects the brain besides other symptoms, as is observed among the infected persons.Confirming the same, the PCMC medical officer Dr Anand Gosavi said, “Surveys have been started after learning about the two confirmed GBS cases. Water samples from the suspected areas where the patients stayed have been taken for testing. There is nothing to panic about as the patients were not from our area.”Dr Gosavi advised, “People should take precautions and consume boiled water, avoid eating outside food, eat properly boiled and warm food, among others. Adequate measures are being taken.”
