Mumbai: The number of suspected and confirmed cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) in Maharashtra has risen to 211 as of Tuesday, following the detection of a new case, health officials reported. Of these, 183 cases have been confirmed as GBS, as per reports.

Massive Outbreak In Pune & Surrounding Region

Among the total cases, 42 are from the Pune Municipal Corporation area, 94 from recently added villages under PMC, 32 from Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation, 33 are from rural parts of Pune and 10 from other districts.

So far, 139 patients have been discharged, while 39 remain in intensive care units, and 18 are on ventilators, according to a statement from the state health department.

Nine Deaths Reported In State Related To GBS

The state has recorded nine deaths related to GBS, with four confirmed fatalities directly linked to the disorder and five additional deaths suspected to be due to it.

What Is Guillain-Barré Syndrome?

Guillain-Barré Syndrome is a rare condition in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system. According to the World Health Organization, the disorder is often triggered by certain bacterial or viral infections.

It primarily affects nerves responsible for muscle movement and sensory functions such as touch, temperature, and pain. Patients with GBS commonly experience muscle weakness, loss of sensation in the arms and legs, and, in severe cases, difficulty breathing or swallowing.

While the exact cause remains unknown, GBS is often linked to prior infections, vaccinations, or major surgeries, which can lead to an overactive immune response that mistakenly targets the body’s nerves.

Mumbai, Feb 19: Shiv Sena President and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde exhorted party workers to be ready for the upcoming elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and other civic and local bodies in the state, especially after the party’s stellar performance in the Assembly elections.

At the party rally, Shinde asked the cadres to step up outreach with the voters by taking up work done by the MahaYuti government during June 2022 and November 2024.

“There should be a Shiv Sena ‘shakha’ and a Shiv Sainik in every ward,” he said and appealed to the cadres that one blow was given in the Assembly elections now another blow be given in the upcoming BMC elections to assume power. “Shiv Sena needs to be expanded and strengthened further,” added Shinde.

He instructed the workers and office bearers to register 123 names in the voter list as members in each ward and to register more than 10,000 members in each ward. Without directly mentioning Uddhav Thackeray, Shinde said, “Some people rake up the issue of separating Mumbai from Maharashtra when the elections come. But as long as there is sun and moon, no one can break Mumbai from us.”

Deputy CM Shinde said that the government will promote the stalled redevelopment and bring back the thrown-out Mumbaikars to Mumbai. By bringing together all the government undertakings like MHADA, MMRDA, Mahapreet, and MIDC, development started in Mumbai through clusters like Thane. The government has built seven sewage treatment plants in Mumbai.

He further said that in the next three to four years, the polluted and untreated water going into the sea will be processed and released and the water of Mumbai’s sea will become blue. After becoming the Chief Minister, all the roads in Mumbai will be made of concrete in two phases. However, in the name of repairing Mumbai’s roads, some have made Rs 3500 crore so far.

Shinde said in his first speech in the state Assembly after becoming the chief minister in June 2022 he had announced that the MahaYuti will win more than 200 seats or else he would go to his native village to do farming. “But the beloved sisters, beloved brothers, beloved farmers, beloved elders of the state voted for the MahaYuti in large numbers. The election results also showed who the real Shiv Sena is. The people of Maharashtra locked up those who made false accusations in the elections,” he added.

The Siv Sena chief reiterated that he, along with 39 legislators, led an uprising in June 2022 to advance Balasaheb Thackeray’s thoughts. He added that he is following the teachings of Dharmaveer Anand Dighe and alleged that Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena does not want Balasaheb’s thoughts but property.

Shinde clarified that there is no cold war among the MahaYuti partners but they are working together in the government. “There is no cold war, but our war is against those who are working against development,” he said.

“Balasaheb Thackeray’s dream was to build a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya and remove Article 370 in Kashmir. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah fulfilled that, but you (Uddhav Thackeray) also abuse them,” he said.

Meanwhile, several leaders and workers from Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP(SP) joined the Shiv Sena.

Mumbai: Newly-appointed Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday took charge of his post and said he would work to strengthen the party’s organization in the state and bring it back to power.

Speaking at the party meeting after taking over from former state unit chief Nana Patole, Sapkal sought cooperation from party workers as well as leaders to revive Congress in Maharashtra.

“If we don’t try, we will not succeed,” he said.

He attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party over its drive to enroll one crore members in Maharashtra and its claim to be the biggest party, adding that it was actually weak in the state.

“If it is the biggest political party, what was the need for it to break the Shiv Sena and NCP, and take Congress leaders in its fold,” he said.

He wanted honest and committed workers for rebuilding Congress in Maharashtra, Sapkal said.

“I want to tell AICC in-charge Ramesh Chennithala that I will not vie for any other post, including chief minister. I don’t want to become CM, MP or MLA. I will work to ensure that Congress returns to power and a Congress leader becomes chief minister,” he said.

He will hold discussions with district unit chiefs, office-bearers and other leaders to draw up a roadmap for the future, Sapkal said.

Senior leader Prithviraj Chavan said Sapkal has the determination to navigate the party through tough times.

“We have a good opportunity to turn the tide in the local bodies polls. Sapkal is an organization man and fit to lead the state unit,” said the former chief minister.

Balasaheb Thorat, another senior leader, said Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alone was fighting to save democracy and protect the Constitution, and “we need to strengthen his hands.”

Congress activists in Maharashtra should rise to this challenge and work to unite society, save democracy and protect the Constitution, he said.