Epidemic thunderstorm asthma event sees 700pc increase in patients

A deadly combination of storms and high pollen count have led to a 700 per cent surge in patients suffering thunderstorm asthma symptoms since Tuesday.

Victorian hospitals faced more than a 700 per cent increase in asthma patients in the past two days, with Ambulance Victoria still facing increased calls for help on Thursday.

Updated data shows more than 320 patients struggling to breathe went to Victoria’s emergency departments between 4pm on Tuesday and 10pm on Wednesday, compared to a 30-day median of 37.

The jump was even more pronounced in Melbourne’s south east — where the outbreak was concentrated — with Dandenong Hospital treating 56 patients, 28 times their median of two.

Casey Hospital received 66 patients — the most in the whole state, followed by Dandenong Hospital and Monash Medical Centre Clayton (31).

Heavy rain lashed Melbourne on Wednesday. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Ten hospitals treated 10 or more patients, while a further 16 emergency departments treated between one and nine patients.

There were just three public emergency departments in the entire state that saw no asthma patients.

The numbers could still rise further, with a moderate risk warning in place for North East, North Central, Northern Country Districts, East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland districts.

Warnings for a thunderstorm asthma epidemic were still in place for several regions on Thursday afternoon before the entire state is downgraded to a low risk on Friday.

Ambulance Victoria director emergency management Justin Dunlop said calls for respiratory cases — which began to increase from 5pm Tuesday — were still above normal levels on Thursday.

“AV continuously makes resourcing arrangements based on forecast risk and has been well-resourced to manage the surge in respiratory cases,” he said.

Ambulance Victoria said there has been a high number of calls for respiratory cases. Picture: David Crosling

“We encourage community members to monitor the epidemic thunderstorm asthma risk via the VicEmergency app.”

A Victorian health department spokeswoman said the incident was a “a timely reminder for anyone who experiences asthma and spring hay fever to be prepared, and have their reliever medication available at all times”.

“Stay out of the wind gusts before and during storms,” she said.

“Go inside and close your windows and doors until the storm has passed and turn off aircondition that brings outdoor air in, such as evaporative systems.”