Inspection of meat shops, food vendors initiated to check contamination 

Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) Veterinary Department has initiated an inspection of chicken, meat and Seafood shops in the Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) affected areas to identify contamination in raw meat. Officials also said that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has started inspecting food vendors in these areas. 

Following the GBS disease outbreak with cases reported in clusters from Sinhgad Road, Nande Village, Kirkitwadi, Dhayari and DSK Vishwa amongst other areas the State government and PMC issued directions to start inspection of meat and seafood shops in the affected areas. Besides, the government on Thursday issued orders to the Animal Husbandry Department to inspect poultry farms in and around the affected areas. 

Recent reports from the National Institute of Virology (NIV) and even private labs stated the presence of Campylobacter jejuni in samples of suspected GBS patients undergoing treatment in hospitals. Additionally, if meat is not cooked to the proper minimum internal temperature, bacteria C. jejuni still exists in the food and can trigger GBS, said the officials. 

Dr Sarika Funde-Bhosale, chief veterinary officer of PMC, informed that there are more than 2,000 (chicken, meat and seafood) shops in these affected areas. Besides, there are 20 markets in these areas which have a large number of consumers.  

“We have taken 10 water samples from the common water source to these markets and were sent to the PMC lab for testing. All water samples are free from any contamination. However, C.Jejuni cannot be detected in the PMC lab, due to which water samples will be sent to NIV, Pune,” she said. 

Health officials are scrambling to determine the exact cause of this outbreak, with early indications pointing to contaminated water sources in several affected areas. 154 Water samples from different parts of the city have been sent for chemical and biological analysis to the Public Health Laboratory, out of which samples from 8 water sources have been found contaminated.  

Dr Funde-Bhosale informed that more than 192 meat shops have been inspected, and the dos and don’ts list is shared with them. “The water source, handling, storage and other hygiene norms are checked during the inspection. We are also creating awareness amongst the shop owners for safe handling and storage practices to avoid contamination,” she added.  

Suresh Annapure, joint commissioner, FDA (food) Pune region, informed the drive is to prevent the surge in the GBS cases and make sure the citizens get safe and hygienic food to eat free from any contamination.  

“We have inspected 52 meat shops and food vendors. As many as 60 samples of food items including raw chicken have been sent to the Laboratory. The reports are awaited, and further action will be taken based on the report. All these food vendors are small-time food business operators,” he added. 

In the past ten days, Pune district has reported 127 suspected cases of GBS, of which 72 have been confirmed as GBS cases. Also, 20 patients are undergoing treatment in various hospitals in the Pune district and are on ventilator support. 

Dr Ankush Parihar, deputy commissioner, Animal Husbandry Department, Pune district, informed the following directions from the state government that the poultry in and around the affected areas will be inspected.  

“The teams will visit the poultry to check if the hygiene and sanitation are followed as per norms. Also, if any waste or water from the poultry is getting mixed in water sources or Kadakwasla dam,” he said.