Thunderstorm Asthma Kills 6 in Australia

[misskit]

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA —
Six people have died and five remain on life support after a rare condition known as thunderstorm asthma struck Australia’s second-largest city, officials said Sunday.

The sixth victim died in a hospital Saturday night from medical complications stemming from a wild thunderstorm that struck Melbourne Monday night, a Health Department statement said.

Five patients remained in intensive care units and three of those were in critical condition, the statement said. Another 12 patients were in hospitals with less serious respiratory and related conditions.

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

The storm overwhelmed emergency services and hospitals in this city of 4.5 million people, with 8,500 receiving hospital treatment.

The world’s first recorded thunderstorm asthma event occurred in Melbourne in 1987, when hospitals reported a five-fold increase in asthma cases. Similar events have happened in the United States, Canada, Britain and Italy. The last major event in Melbourne was in November 2010.

Thunderstorm Asthma Kills 6 in Australia

[BaitongBoy]

Very interesting...

I guess "This is how the world ends," but both "With a bang and a whimper"...

[ENT]

Respiratory diseases including fungal and yeast infections are on the increase globally.

Add air pollution from fires, transport and industry to that and there's a toxic mix that takes a heavy toll of anyone's immune system, so deaths from pulmonary infections are bound to increase especially among those compromised such as asthmatics, the young and the elderly who may have ongoing coronary and circulatory problems.

I'd always thought that the human race would suffocate to death long before any global war or major asteroid strike could wipe us out.

[thaimeme]

Respiratory diseases including fungal and yeast infections are on the increase globally.

Add air pollution from fires, transport and industry to that and there's a toxic mix that takes a heavy toll of anyone's immune system, so deaths from pulmonary infections are bound to increase especially among those compromised such as asthmatics, the young and the elderly who may have ongoing coronary and circulatory problems.

I'd always thought that the human race would suffocate to death long before any global war or major asteroid strike could wipe us out.

Our ancestors never suffered as this.
And we [the modern enlightenment] can't figure out why......and most likely never connect the rhyme or reason.

[wasabi]

Our ancestors also suffered from this but most likely never connected the rhyme or reason.
So it wasn't recorded, or if it was it would have been recorded under a different cause.

[ENT]

Probably called it consumption (TB) or ague (fever/malaria) , or a disbalance of the humours or evil spirits.