Vic Health Departments says conditions ripe for asthma today, these locations are on alert

Warning for thunderstorm asthma conditions for parts of Gippsland Monday. This is what you need to know.

Victorians are being warned again about thunderstorm asthma conditions, with west and south Gippsland advised on Monday that the region is at high risk.

It was reported two weeks ago that health experts were concerned many people with asthma were unprepared for a thunderstorm event as Victoria headed into its earliest start to a grass pollen season in decades.

Victorians in west and south Gippsland have been warned of thunderstorm asthma conditions. Picture: iStock

The Victorian Health Department has now issued a warning for an “epidemic thunderstorm asthma forecast” for the Gippsland district, adding health and emergency services are closely monitoring the situation and ready to respond.

Thunderstorm asthma events happen when a type of storm causes the release, and then spread, of large amounts of pollen. These can cause breathing difficulties in many people with pollen allergies.

The state’s acting chief health officer, Christian McGrath, said in a statement on Monday that the combination of forecast high grass pollen levels and thunderstorms with strong winds meant there was a chance that a large number of people may develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time.

Ambulance Paramedic Cat Cristofaro has previously responded to thunderstorm asthma incidents. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

The advice from the Health Department is to monitor the risk forecast on the VicEmergency app, avoid being outdoors in a storm, especially the winds that precede them and to take preventive medication as directed, even when symptom free.

It is also advised people to carry relievers and know how to manage an asthma attack and to follow asthma action plans or use asthma first aid.

If further medical advice is needed, call Nurse on Call on 1300 60 60 24 or visit your doctor.

In November 2016, 10 people died in Victoria when deadly storms triggered thousands of asthma attacks and overwhelmed Victoria’s healthcare system.

Where to get information:

• Epidemic thunderstorm asthma risk forecasts are available on the VicEmergency app and website at: emergency.vic.gov.au/prepare/#thunderstorm-asthma-forecast

• Pollen observations and forecasts are available at melbournepollen.com.au and via the Melbourne Pollen App.