Thunderstorm Asthma strikes Melbourne

[Rogue]

Death toll from Australia's thunderstorm asthma reaches 6

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Six people have died and five remain on life support after a rare condition known as thunderstorm asthma struck Australia's second-largest city.

The Health Department says the sixth victim died in a hospital on Saturday night from medical complications stemming from a wild thunderstorm that struck Melbourne on Monday night.

The statement says five patients remain in intensive care units and three of those are in critical condition.

Monday's storm caused rain-sodden ryegrass pollen to explode and disperse over the city, with tiny pollen particles penetrating deep into lungs. Around a third of patients who suffered asthma attacks on Monday reported never having asthma before.

The storm overwhelmed emergency services and hospitals in this city of 4.5 million people.
http://www.heraldcourier.com/news/death-toll-from-australia-s-thunderstorm-asthma-reaches/article_9ed643a0-e869-5c8c-ad0d-c9975861ae6a.html?mode=jqm

[Rogue]

8500 received hospital treatment...
More to story >> http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-11-27/sixth-person-dies-from-thunderstorm-asthma-emergency/8061380

[Rockhopper]

Saw that Rog. Nasty business!

Tim.

[Agartha]

8500?????!!!!  I never even heard of thunderstorm asthma before!!!

[Kaere]

That's amazing!

[Rogue]

Eight have now died.

[Agartha]

Wow.... terrible........ to die of anything is not nice, but to die of breathing complications is horrendous. RIP poor souls XXXXX

[Kaere]

Terrible circumstances... is this the first time this has happened there?

[Rogue]

First time I've heard of it. I think there have been some cases in England in the past.

[Kaere]

It's horrible, the way people have died and been affected but I'm a bit fascinated by how it all came together, the conditions having to be met and all.

[Agartha]

Really? It happened in England in the past? I'll definitely research it!!

[Rogue]

I just tried to find the article I'd read mentioning England but of course now I can't find it. But this one below also talks of a 1994 case in London.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/30/thunderstorm-forecast-prompts-warning-to-victorians-with-asthma

[Agartha]

Thanks for the link...... I came to the UK in Feb 1994 and I don't remember that at all...... but I guess I was too busy living in such great city all by myself, too much shopping and partying.

This kind of tragedy could really struck anywhere, the ingredients are really common: thunderstorms and pollen.

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