On November 21 , 2016 hospital emergency wards across Melbourne , Australia weresuddenly overrunwith patient with knockout respiratory problems . Ten people died and thousands struggled to take a breather for frighteningly long periods . The upshot was not a forerunner of a viral epidemic , but the worst typeface of a phenomenon known as “ electric storm asthma ” . Scientists have now revealed that the commonly believed account for these upshot is incorrect , and that they are triggered by lightning , not rain .
South - eastern Australia looks like the worst place in the humanity for thunderstorm asthma , but the US has hadseveral roundsand CSIRO’sDr Kathryn Emmersontold IFLScience the UK has experienced some as well . It ’s likely they are happening more wide on a less severe tier that does n’t pull the same tending as a unmarried bad event , but cumulatively causes far more impairment . If one coincided with a viral irruption like COVID-19 thing could get far worse , making predict them a priority .
The popular explanation in the backwash of Melbourne ’s consequence was that rain had caused widespread pollen to bristle , unfreeze sub - pollen SPPs . These farm a similar allergic reaction to ordinary pollen , but come home deeper into the lung , with more serious consequences .
Emmerson is first writer of a paper inPLOS ONEthat note this hypothesis does n’t fit the fact . The storm in question was company by relatively little pelting , and the rise in humidity make out well after hospital reported overburden of people struggle for hint . The authors show an alternative account .
Although Emmerson admit to IFLScience the squad is not certain SPPs are responsible for electrical storm asthma , they do reckon that part of the theory is probably correct . “ The people who presented to emergency departments , most did n’t have histories of bronchial asthma , " Emmerson say . “ But they did have hayfever history . Also , it encounter right at the peak of Melbourne ’s pollen time of year . ” People with asthma attack history digest as well , but had preventers or inhalers , which mean few of them needed medical help .
The paper aim pollen burst open in the rye - grass ley to Melbourne ’s W and the subatomic particle were swept into the city by the obtain winds to chivy the habitant . However , this only works if the bursting coincided with a undulation of teetotal lightning that preceded the rain by several hours .
The authors offer several possibilities as to what would cause the rye whisky - grass pollen to burst including rubbing from the breaking wind , electrical build - up , and the lightning itself . All may have play a part , but the timing makes lightning the prime suspect
Since 2017 Australia ’s Bureau of Meteorology has issued electric storm asthma event warnings , encourage those with asthma or hayfever to stay indoors and keep preventers ready to hand . Emmerson told IFLScience her work was done in junction with the Bureau , and has already incorporate these warnings . On the other hand , she said , counterpart organizations worldwide only bring home the bacon pollen alerts and could be taken by surprisal by a similar event .
The thunder asthma event in Melbourne saw a 672 percent rise in excess respiratory - colligate admissions at local hospital pinch elbow room and a 992 pct increase in asthma - related admissions to hospital within 30 minute . As the pandemic has shown us , overwhelming hospitals is dangerous and can have long - term knock - on consequences .
