Nothing to panic about GBS, Health dept officials urge people

Kolkata: The Health department officials have urged the people not to spread panic about Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Unconfirmed sources have said that three persons, including a child, have died due to suspected Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) in West Bengal in the past few days. The state Health department has not yet officially confirmed the cause of the deaths. State health departments have already issued guidelines for hospitals, while experts assured that the situation remains under control and not a cause for panic.

Senior officials of Health department held a high-level meeting instructing all government and district hospitals in the state to promptly report any cases of GBS to the department.

Hospitals and medical colleges have been directed to ensure the availability of necessary treatments, including plasma therapy, ventilation support systems, and intravenous immunoglobulin injections. Experts have reviewed the situation and confirmed that there was no surge in cases. They are of the opinion that stray cases occur throughout the year and it is nothing new.

Several heads of various medical colleges in the city attended the review meeting of the health department. A senior Health department official said: “The situation in West Bengal is absolutely under control and there is nothing to panic about.”

According to unconfirmed sources, a 10-year-old child was admitted to a Kolkata hospital and died while undergoing treatment last Sunday.

Hailing from Jagatdal of North 24-Parganas district, he was undergoing treatment at the BC Roy Hospital for a week before he died. Two others have reportedly died of GBS.