People are urged to take caution as temperatures reach the high 30s on Monday 16 December, with a strong possibility of a thunderstorm asthma alert in the afternoon.
Extreme heat
Extreme heat can cause serious and potentially fatal health problems such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke, trigger sudden events like heart attack or stroke, or worsen existing medical conditions like kidney or lung disease.
Extreme heat can affect anybody but those more at risk include people over the age of 65, babies and young children, pregnant women and people with acute or chronic health problems and people who are socially isolated.
People should take precaution during extreme heat and:
drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty
never leave anyone in a car
stay somewhere cool
plan ahead and keep up to date with weather forecasts
check in on others, especially those most vulnerable to the heat.
For more information, visit how to cope and stay safe in extreme heat on the Department of Health website.
Thunderstorm asthma
People with current, past or undiagnosed asthma or hay fever are considered to be at risk of thunderstorm asthma.
Those at risk should:
avoid exposure to storms and wind gusts.
keep a reliever inhaler with you (as recommended by your doctor or pharmacist).
review your asthma action plan if you have one.
know the four steps of Asthma First Aid.
Thunderstorm asthma is serious and can lead to severe breathing difficulties. If symptoms arise, begin Asthma First Aid without delay.
If there’s no improvement or symptoms worsen, call Triple Zero (000) immediately for emergency assistance.
For more information, visit the Thunderstorm asthma page on the Better Health Channel.
For the latest updates and warnings, visit VicEmergency.
