Health authorities suspect more than
19 cases of the syndrome in Peru and have warned hospitals to watch for
symptoms in other people, the ministry said in a statement. It added
that the suspected cases will be confirmed in the coming days.
Guillain-Barre,
in which the immune system attacks part of the nervous system, causes
gradual weakness in the legs, arms and upper body and sometimes leads to
total paralysis.
Four
of the patients who are suspected to have the syndrome in Peru need
respirators to support their breathing, the ministry said.
Researchers
have found a close association between an increased number of
mosquito-born Zika infections and increases in Guillain-Barre.
There
were some 500 confirmed cases and 5,269 suspected cases of Zika in Peru
last year, up from a combined total of 1,651 suspected and confirmed
cases in 2016, according to health ministry data.
The health ministry said between 3 percent and 5 percent of Guillain-Barre cases are fatal.
Reporting by Maria Cervantes; Writing by Mitra Taj; Editing by Paul Simao
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