Data update: Short-term health impacts of the 2019–20 Australian bushfires

Hospitalisations with a principal diagnosis of chest pain (ICD-10-AM codes R07.1, R07.3, and R07.4) were analysed.

Analyses did not identify a consistent pattern in relation to impacts from bushfires and chest pain hospitalisations.

Nationally, there were increases in the hospitalisation rate for chest pain across most weeks during the 2019–20 bushfire season, particularly in the early season from mid-September to the end of October 2019.

To explore national data and data for states and territories, see interactive data visualisations below (for data tables see Supplementary table S1).

Admitted patient hospitalisation rate, by jurisdiction, chest pain (ICD-10-AM codes R07.1, R07.3, R07.4), weeks in 2019–20 bushfire season relative to previous 5-year average

At the state and territory level, there were no consistent patterns between chest pain hospitalisations coinciding with periods of significant fire activity or air pollution. That is, New South Wales demonstrated lower chest pain hospitalisations each week during the 2019–20 bushfire season, compared with the average of the previous 5-year period, while Victoria and Queensland demonstrated higher chest pain hospitalisations each week during the same period.

Similarly, no consistent relationship between air quality from bushfires and chest pain hospitalisations was observed at the level of Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4).

For data by Statistical Area Level 4 (SA4), see Supplementary table S2.