E. coli Found in Pune Water as GBS Cases Rise: 4 Dead, 140 Infected in Maharashtra

Pune: The number of suspected deaths in Maharashtra due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), a rare nerve disorder, has risen to four, with 140 cases recorded in the state, including 98 confirmed GBS cases. Most cases are concentrated in Pune and surrounding areas. 

Two recent deaths include a 36-year-old man who died from pneumonia-related respiratory trauma and a 60-year-old man who suffered cardiac arrest after being hospitalized with GBS symptoms.

Health officials have linked the outbreak to contaminated water, with E. coli bacteria detected in water samples from private borewells in the Sinhgad Road area, indicating fecal or animal waste contamination. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has been collecting water samples and instructing borewell operators to use bleaching powder solutions to contain the contamination.

GBS, which causes muscle weakness and numbness, is believed to be triggered by Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterium found in contaminated food and water. No new cases were reported on January 31, 2025.