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Woman suffering 'Thunderstorm Asthma' dies on front lawn waiting for an ambulance

A Melbourne law student has died in the arms of her aunt and uncle after waiting 40 minutes for an ambulance during a deadly outbreak of 'thunderstorm asthma'.

Hope Carnevlai was one of two people to lose their lives on Monday night during what paramedics say was a “major disaster” that pushed hospitals to breaking point.

Thousands of Melburnians suffered a severe asthma attack on Monday during the spring storms, but sadly for the 20-year-old, her attack was more severe than others.

Asthma victim Hope Carnevlai. Source: 7News
Asthma victim Hope Carnevlai. Source: 7News
The severe storm which tore through Melbourne. Source: 7News
The severe storm which tore through Melbourne. Source: 7News

“Just knowing that if (paramedics) had’ve gotten there a little bit earlier, that the situation might be different, is very hard to deal with,” Hope’s aunt Melissa Carnevali said.

Speaking to 7 News, Hope’s aunt and uncle say they should have driven her to hospital themselves but did not think the ambulance would take long as they waited on their front lawn.

“Maybe they can let you know how long they might be, just an idea and maybe it will save some lives,” Hope’s uncle John Carnevali said.

“(Hope) was just so kind-hearted.”

John and Melissa Carnevali. Source: 7News
John and Melissa Carnevali. Source: 7News

One mother who was told of the ambulance delay, Julie McAloon, decided to drive her 12-year-old son straight to an emergency department.

“I was wheezing and coughing,” son Brennan McAloon said.

“To walk into a queue that we had to stand in and wait to be treated was really quite stressful,” his mother added.

Victim Hope Carnevlai. Source: 7News
Victim Hope Carnevlai. Source: 7News

Between 6pm and 11pm Ambulance Victoria was inundated with 1900 calls for help as the rare thunderstorm asthma phenomenon swept the city.

“What occurred last night, that’s a full event. It’s as busy as we’ll ever be and it’s as much escalation as we’ll probably ever do,” Ambulance Victoria spokesperson Mick Stephenson said.

“Thirty minutes is a ling time to wait for an ambulance when you’re sick … we would not like people to wait that long under normal circumstances.”

Some of the storm damage. Source: 7News
Some of the storm damage. Source: 7News

Ambulance Victoria had six times the normal number of calls on Monday night with an extra 60 ambulances put on duty.

Every hospital emergency department was full, with asthma sufferers like James Sampson.

“Within about half an hour, (my asthma) was just out of control,” Mr Sampson said.

“I couldn’t breathe so it was getting worse. It was insane.”

Another asthma victim Brennan McAloon. Source: 7News
Another asthma victim Brennan McAloon. Source: 7News

The volume of patients was so high, St Vincent’s Hospital was forced to turn a day surgery unit into a makeshift ward while staff at the Royal Children’s Hospital called in staff from every area of the hospital to deal with its 500 patients.

“We were completely overwhelmed with the number of patients coming through the door, predominantly with breathing problems,” St Vincent’s director of emergency Dr Andrew Walby said.

A review is now underway into the two deaths.

Meteorologist Jane Bunn said hot and dry northerly winds had spread extreme levels of pollen and dust across Melbourne but when thunderstorm clouds arrived, they sucked up the particles into the cloud.

The humid air then caused the particles to burst, causing the tiny allergens to rush to the ground to be inhaled.