New study finds ‘trifecta of risk’ for thunderstorm asthma

A new study into the tragic thunderstorm event of 2016 that claimed the lives of 10 people across Melbourne has identified a “trifecta of risk” when it comes to making people more vulnerable when severe allergic asthma events sweep across the city.

Melburnians have been warned about a high pollen count and chance of thunderstorms in the next 48 hours.

“It is a very, very big risk, particularly if they’ve never had an asthma attack before,” Associate Professor Cenk Suphioglu from Deakin University’s NeuroAllergy Research Lab told Ross and Russel.

He said the three significant risk factors were high pollen counts, people having undiagnosed asthma, or not being on top of their asthma plan.

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