Victoria warned of ‘epidemic thunderstorm asthma’

Victorians have been warned over a new threat that has emerged due to extreme pollen levels and possible thunderstorms.

Asthmatic Victorians and those with hayfever have been advised to avoid any exposure to Thursday’s forecasted storms, with health officials issuing a warning over an epidemic thunderstorm asthma event.

The Department of Health has declared the risk to epidemic thunderstorm asthma to be extreme in the western Wimmera district, and high in Melbourne and other western Victorian districts.

It comes as 3AW reported Ambulance Victoria issued a Code Orange on Wednesday night and experienced prolific ambulance call-outs due to abnormally high occurrences of respiratory complaints.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is triggered by the combination of unusually high pollen counts and certain thunderstorms, according to asthma.org.

Melbourne’s pollen level is extreme. Picture: Jay Town

Melbourne Pollen considers the city’s pollen forecast to be extreme for Thursday, while Wimmera’s pollen count is considered to be high.

Melbourne and Wimmera are also predicted to experience possibly severe thunderstorms with damaging high winds – up to 45 kp/h in Melbourne, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

The predicted thunderstorms have been matched by unusually high temperatures, with the Wimmera region set to experience maximums in the mid-high 20s and 26 in Melbourne.

In 2016, nine Victorians died as a result of a thunderstorm asthma event, during which the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority and Ambulance Victoria recorded an unprecedented volume of asthma and respiratory complaints.

The Victorian Department of Health and Ambulance Victoria have been contacted for further comment.