Researchers are calling for earlier and more frequent pollen count updates over the coming summer, saying it could help prevent thunderstorm asthma flare-ups.
The region is considered to be at greater risk as the hot weather draws closer, thanks in part to a warm and damp spring.
In the 30 hours from 6pm on 21 November, there was a staggering 672 per cent increase in respiratory-related presentations to Melbourne and Geelong public hospitals – 3,365 more than expected based on the three-year average.
Associate Professor of Biomedical Science at Deakin, Cenk Supjioglu, told Geelong Broadcasters it’s important for people who are vulnerable to keep an eye on the pollen count.
“Current sampling stations give you that information,” he said.
“Combined with that, at-risk subjects need to be vigilant about their own health.”
People with current, past or undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are considered to be at higher risk of thunderstorm asthma. Having both asthma and hay fever, or poorly controlled asthma, increases the risk further.
Seven of the 26 Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma (ETSA) events recorded around the world hae taken place in Victoria, making the state the global “epicentre” for the dangerous conditions.
In November 2016 the worst ETSA event on record struck Melbourne and Geelong, sending hospitals into ‘Code Brown’ alerts and overwhelming first responders, as 10,000 people sought treatment for acute asthma and respiratory distress.
Ten people did not survive.
Associate Professor Suphioglu, who heads up Deakin’s AirWATCH program, said the first step was an urgent review of how pollen levels are monitored.
“Our researchers took the data from the 2016 ETSA and, using a three-hourly time-resolved temporal, immediately noted that the standard 24-hour data must be improved to include ‘real-time’ pollen counts, preferably in ten-minute increments, so the public can be updated and warned throughout this type of weather,” he said.
“The storm outflow in 2016 only lasted around 12 minutes but sadly, ten people lost their lives.
“After this event there was a heightened awareness about the phenomena of thunderstorm asthma, but ultimately, that was too late for those who died.”
Associate Professor Suphioglu’s team discovered that counts of ruptured grass pollen grains increased 250 per cent when the thunderstorm outflow reached the university’s Burwood campus.
He said monitoring ruptured pollen is key to determining if a thunderstorm asthma event will occur, allowing authorities to provide crucial community information.
“Common symptoms of thunderstorm asthma are wheezing, shortness in breath, chest tightness and persistent coughing,” Associate Professor Suphioglu said. “Therefore, if you wheeze and sneeze during grass pollen seasons, you are an ideal candidate and (are) at a potentially life-threatening risk for thunderstorm asthma.”
He said an asthma assessment and, if necessary, the implementation of an Asthma Action Plan, is vital for the safe and effective management of thunderstorm asthma symptoms.
