Bengal reports its 4th suspected GBS death this year
What's the story
West Bengal has witnessed its fourth suspected GBS (Guillain Barre Syndrome) death this year.
The latest victim, identified as Sk Khairul, a 22-year-old resident of Suti in Murshidabad district, died at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Khairul had recently gone to Purnea, Bihar for a job interview where he fell sick and returned to Murshidabad.
His condition worsened with paralysis symptoms appearing, and he was admitted to the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on February 15.
Prior cases
Previous GBS deaths and state response
The first suspected GBS death this year was reported on January 27. A 17-year-old student of Barasat PCS Government School in North 24 Parganas was the first victim.
The second case was of a youth from Jagatdal in North 24 Parganas, who died on January 26, after a week-long treatment at Kolkata's BC Roy Hospital.
On January 29, a 48-year-old man from Hooghly district allegedly succumbed to GBS.
Health measures
State health department's directives to hospitals
In light of these deaths, the state health department has directed government hospitals and medical colleges. The directives are aimed at creating infrastructure for handling and treating GBS cases.
Hospitals have been directed to ensure plasma therapy, ventilation support systems, and intravenous immunoglobulin injections are available.
Two Critical Care Unit beds in the Neurology department of all city medical colleges are kept reserved for GBS cases.
Public reassurance
Hospital sources report stray GBS cases, urge calm
To ensure prompt identification and treatment, child specialists have been equipped with knowledge about the symptoms of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in children.
Hospital sources say stray cases of GBS are reported throughout the year. They stress that despite these incidents, there is no need for panic.
The state health department has not officially confirmed the cause of these deaths being due to GBS yet.