Australia Thunderstorm Kills 10, Thousands Hospitalized with Asthma

Melbourne storm was more than just a storm of wind and rain (Illustrative Image Infobae)” class=”global-image” decoding=”async” fetchpriority=”high” height=”816″ loading=”eager” src=”https://www.infobae.com/resizer/v2/D64NKJLWHNBMFDNAESMQCYZ4PU.png?auth=5533a47269b8978e44f79823845ae7ccc3a9b37d6ebe1c7f68495c1ab95ae6bb&smart=true&width=350&height=197&quality=85″ width=”1456″/>

The storm that hit Melbourne In 2016 it was a meteorological phenomenon and an unexpected health event that left a deep mark on the Australian city. The emerging public health crisis, so-called asthma stormbecomes a global warning about the impact of extreme weather events on people with respiratory problems. The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds, as well as dragging with it millions of pollen grains, which, when scattered, dispersed into the air and set off a wave of ‘ Unprecedented asthma attacks.

In the case of Melbourne, the November 2016 storm revealed a phenomenon seen from time to time in other parts of the world: asthma storm. This event, which occurs when large storms release pollen grains into the atmosphere, causes a respiratory reaction in susceptible people, even those with no history of asthma. This type of asthma is different from common asthmatic episodes, because its appearance is directly linked to meteorological and atmospheric factors, such as storms, and not necessarily to prolonged exposure to allergens.

According to a report from 60 Minutes AustraliaOn the day of the storm, thousands of people in Melbourne suffered severe asthma symptoms, such as shortness of breath, coughing and wheezing, causing local hospitals to be overloaded. In a few hours, they registered more than 8,500 critical visits y More than 2,000 people needed caremany of them in the hospital in emergency.

It wasn’t just heavy rain in the storm that caused this crisis. The Australian media ABC News reports that it was a complex event that brought together several adverse weather factors. First, the storm created strong winds that spread the pollen grains of local plants such as grass and tree species in a much larger area than usual.

When the warm, moist air was replaced by cold air from the storm, it formed sudden change in atmospheric pressure. This, along with the humidity, caused the pollen grains to break into even smaller, much larger particles. harmful to the lungs when inhaled. In addition, the rain that accompanied the storm not only caused pollen to fall on the streets and buildings, but also release chemical substances from plantsincreasing the intensity of the allergen.

According to the specialized site phys.orgthe pollen that reached the atmosphere during the storm was scattered micro particles which, when breathed in, caused swelling of the respiratory tract. It is called a immediate allergic reaction which, in the case of stormy asthma, was especially bad because of the intensity of the weather.

These microscopic particles are much smaller than traditional pollen grains, allowing them to reach deeper into the lungs, causing severe asthma attacks, and in many cases, requiring emergency hospitalization.

The Melbourne storm was a catastrophic weather event that saw a public health emergency. Local hospitals and health centers were overwhelmed by the number of people needing emergency care. The overloading of health systems It was an urgent challenge for the emergency services, who had to act quickly to deal with thousands of people affected by asthma attacks.

According to official reports, the Melbourne hospitals recorded a 400% increase. in cases of asthma and other respiratory diseases in the hours after the storm. As the number of people affected grew, health professionals began to warn of a shortage of resources, such as medicines and breathing equipment. In addition, care is in high demand patients without asthmatic history It complicated diagnosis and treatment, as people affected by the storm did not respond to common asthma treatments.

To deal with the crisis, local authorities launched a rapid emergency response. Warnings were issued to the public to stay indoors and avoid outdoor exposure during the height of the storm. There was also coordination with health centers and pharmacies to ensure the supply of medicines such as inhalers, which were necessary to manage the cases.

One of the worst things about the storm is its connection to climate change. The increase in the frequency and intensity of storms was associated with changes in weather patterns worldespecially in areas prone to storms and droughts. As for Melbourne, that is expected frequency of these stormy asthma episodes increase due to more intense storms and the extension of pollen seasons, phenomena that have already been recorded in different parts of the world.

he is climate change The number of storm-related asthma events in Melbourne and other temperate coastal cities could increase. Prophecies point to a increase in the length and severity of pollen seasonswhich means more days of risk for people with respiratory problems. In addition, the rising temperature that could increase the production of pollen in plants, which would increase the allergen load in the environment.

In response to the phenomenon, more extensive studies are being done on how predicting and mitigating the impact of storms in public health. The use of advanced weather models helping to anticipate these events more precisely. In addition, public health policies are aimed at improving access to preventive and preventive medicines early warning systems to reduce the effects of future storm asthma events.