Mumbai, Feb 1, 2025 – The Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) outbreak in Pune, which has affected 140 people and left 18 patients on ventilator support, could have been contained within four days had adequate public health measures been implemented early, according to Dr. T Jacob John, a leading virologist and former professor at Christian Medical College, Vellore.
Dr. John, who has decades of experience monitoring infectious disease outbreaks in India, criticized the delayed response of health officials, stating that a rapid and structured intervention could have prevented the crisis from escalating.
Delayed Response Aggravated Outbreak
Speaking to The Times of India, Dr. John outlined a four-day action plan that could have minimized the outbreak’s impact:
- Day 1 – As soon as the first case was reported, local health authorities should have been alerted, prompting hospitals to investigate potential sources. The next step should have been testing for Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium commonly associated with GBS, which can be confirmed within 48 hours.
- Day 2 – Health officials should have verified water safety, conducted E. coli testing, and issued a public advisory warning residents to boil drinking water.
- Day 3 – If test results confirmed contamination, the municipal corporation should have implemented hyperchlorination to disinfect the water and identified contaminated supply lines.
- Day 4 – As more GBS cases emerged, officials should have mapped affected areas, formally declared an outbreak, and announced that the water supply had been cleaned.
Dr. John emphasized that such swift measures are standard in developed countries, and India must assess whether its public health system has clear protocols for rapid outbreak response.
Officials Defend Response, Cite Infrastructure Challenges
A former disease surveillance officer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that while India has a well-established surveillance system, it needs to be refined to accommodate urban population growth.
“The health department acted early, but several factors are beyond its control—particularly the quality of water supply in the city,” he said.
Experts also pointed out that GBS is not an infectious disease but rather a neurological disorder triggered by infections, making outbreak detection and response more complex.
Urgent Need for Public Health Reforms
The outbreak has reignited concerns over India’s public health infrastructure, with experts urging stronger surveillance mechanisms, faster response times, and better coordination between health and municipal authorities.
With Pune’s GBS cases continuing to rise, health officials are now under pressure to prevent further infections and strengthen measures to prevent future outbreaks.
