Vijayawada, Feb 19 : Another woman died of Gullain Barre Syndrome (GBS) in Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, taking the number of deaths due to GBS in the state to five.

Sheikh Gowhar Jaan, who was admitted to Government General Hospital in Guntur with symptoms of GBS on February 2, succumbed on Wednesday.

Earlier, four deaths were reported. Renuka Mohanti (63) of Vizianagaram district, Sunitha (35) of NTR district and Kamalamma of Prakasam district were among those who succumbed to suspected symptoms of GBS the during last one-and-a-half month.

According to Minister for Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare Y. Satya Kumar Yadav, there are 17-18 cases of BGS in the state. A total of 45 cases were reported during the last 40-50 days.

The minister said that there is no need for panic as this is not a new disease. He pointed out that 301 GBS cases were reported in 11 out of 17 government general hospitals in the state last year.

The health minister said they were trying to analyse the reasons for the surge in cases. 'It's not pandemic and it's not being reported from any particular area,' he said adding that the health department is prepared to tackle the situation.

Satya Kumar believes that a lack of awareness among people led to a surge in cases. He said people were not approaching hospitals immediately after experiencing tingling and numbness in their legs.

He admitted that there is some amount of panic situation in the state because of too much media attention.

The health department is on high alert. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, the health minister and top officials have been holding a series of meetings to review the situation.

Doctors treating GBS cases in Andhra Pradesh are consulting specialists in other states.

According to the health minister, the incidence across the globe is 1 to 2 per cent for one lakh population. About 85 per cent of patients recover and only 15 per cent of the people with GBS require the administration of Immunoglobulin injections.

The department is supplying the required Immunoglobulin injections to all teaching and district hospitals.

Special Chief Secretary Health M. T. Krishna Babu said that the state currently has 1,200 Immunoglobulin injections, and 6,000 more will be procured soon. He said the department has been on alert after Pune reported a surge in GBS cases.

/IANS