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'Thunderstorm asthma' deaths to be investigated by health authorities 'Thunderstorm asthma' deaths to be investigated by health authorities
(about 7 hours later)
The deaths of two people who died during Melbourne’s “thunderstorm asthma” event will be investigated by health authorities. The deaths of two people during Melbourne’s “thunderstorm asthma” event will be investigated by health authorities.
Paramedics dealt with an unprecedented 1900 emergency calls in five hours on Monday evening and hundreds more streamed into hospitals. Paramedics dealt with an unprecedented 1,900 emergency calls in five hours on Monday evening and hundreds more people streamed into hospitals.
Hope Carnevali’s family say the 20-year-old died while waiting for an ambulance and now say they wish they had taken her to hospital themselves. Hope Carnevali’s family said the 20-year-old died while waiting 40 minutes for an ambulance and said they wished they had taken her to hospital themselves.
The Victorian health minister, Jill Hennessy, says the storm put unprecedented demand on the health system. She is waiting for details of the two deaths. “We don’t blame the paramedics because they do a fantastic job,” Hope’s uncle John Carnevali told 3AW on Wednesday.
“It’s just that the system needs to be changed ... to let people know, if they can’t get there in a certain time and they think it’s pretty bad, drive yourself to hospital if possible.”
John Carnevali said if Hope’s family had been told there could be a wait of 30 minutes or longer they would have driven her to Werribee hospital, less than 10 minutes away.
“We wouldn’t have waited because she was struggling to breathe,” he said. “She would have had a very good chance.”
He said Hope’s mother made the first call to emergency services, followed by another 10 minutes later. She was told an ambulance “was not far away”.
John Carnevali’s sister called again five to 10 minutes later and was again told “just wait it’s not far”, he said.
Then Hope stopped breathing and family members performed CPR for about 20 minutes until the ambulance arrived.
“By then she only had a slight heart beat,” her uncle said.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, said the deaths were “desperately sad”.
“Our commitment to those families is we will learn from what’s gone on here. We will make the necessary improvements,” the premier said.
The Victorian health minister, Jill Hennessy, said the storm put unprecedented demand on the health system. She is waiting for details of the two deaths.
Ambulance Victoria says it will complete a clinical review within a few days as to whether the two deaths were related to ambulance delays and the asthma event.Ambulance Victoria says it will complete a clinical review within a few days as to whether the two deaths were related to ambulance delays and the asthma event.
Thunderstorm asthma is caused when dust and pollen is blown in during or ahead of a thunderstorm. The moisture then causes the pollen grains to burst into hundreds of fragments tiny enough to penetrate deep into the airways. Thunderstorm asthma is caused when dust and pollen is blown in before or during a thunderstorm. The moisture then causes the pollen grains to burst into hundreds of fragments tiny enough to penetrate deep into the airways.
“We essentially had a day’s workload within five hours,” Ambulance Victoria’s executive director of emergency operations, Mick Stephenson, said on Tuesday. “This includes 200 cases for asthma and we were seeing asthma in people who had not experienced breathing issues before.”“We essentially had a day’s workload within five hours,” Ambulance Victoria’s executive director of emergency operations, Mick Stephenson, said on Tuesday. “This includes 200 cases for asthma and we were seeing asthma in people who had not experienced breathing issues before.”
During the thunderstorm on Monday, buildings were damaged, roof tiles ripped off houses and cars were damaged. The rain and strong winds also churned up pollen, dust and other irritants in the air.During the thunderstorm on Monday, buildings were damaged, roof tiles ripped off houses and cars were damaged. The rain and strong winds also churned up pollen, dust and other irritants in the air.
Kathy Bowlen from St Vincent’s Hospital told 3AW on Tuesday: “The emergency department was actually considering opening a temporary ED in the foyer of the hospital, just to cope with the demand.”Kathy Bowlen from St Vincent’s Hospital told 3AW on Tuesday: “The emergency department was actually considering opening a temporary ED in the foyer of the hospital, just to cope with the demand.”