Woman's heroic efforts to save father during 'thunderstorm asthma' outbreak
A woman has revealed how she saved her father's life during Melbourne’s "thunderstorm asthma" crisis, by driving him straight to hospital and not waiting for paramedics to arrive.
Experts say some hay fever sufferers may have found themselves badly affected, because they actually had asthma that was not previously diagnosed.
Munaur Hussain’s heart stopped in his daughter’s car, while they were on their way to hospital, after he suffered a serious asthma attack.
Zainab Hussain was forced to drive him to the emergency department herself because paramedics were inundated with calls.
“Because they weren’t able to give me a time frame [and] I noticed my dad was deteriorating. While I was driving I was trying to punch his heart at the same time to keep something going,” Ms Hussain told 7 News.
Knowing she only had minutes to spare, Ms Hussain pulled into the emergency car park, where a nurse began CPR.
It is the reason her father is still alive.
“Because I got him to the hospital on time and in the right parking space I had saved his life,” she said.
Amanda Leo also tried in vain to save her husband, Clarence. A long-time asthma sufferer, the 37-year-old woke up unable to breath.
“He’s the most loving person, he had the biggest heart, he would do anything for anyone no matter what,” an emotional Ms Leo said.
“My heart’s broken in pieces,” his mother said.
She gave the father-of-two CPR in her mother’s driveway, but was unable to save him.
He is now the fourth victim of thunderstorm asthma, along with Hope Carnevali, Omar Moujalled and Apollo Papadopoulos.
Their deaths will all be investigated as part of a review into how the tragic phenomenon was handled.
Updated figures show that hospitals treated more than 8,500 patients affected by the condition on Monday night and Tuesday. Two people, as well as Mr Hussein are still in a critical condition.
“A lot of the patients who did present didn’t know they had asthma, had never had it before,” Austin Health Professor Christine McDonald said.
All hay fever sufferers are now being urged to be tested for asthma to prevent more tragedies.
