Australia: Eight people placed in induced coma after suspected overdose of MDMA at music festival
Royal Melbourne Hospital's ambulance speeds through the road.
Eight young people were placed in medically induced comas after they had an overdose of suspected MDMA at a music festival in Melbourne, Australia over the weekend. The incident has increased calls for the legalisation of pill testing in the state.
Paramedics, who were present at the Hardmission electronic music festival organised at Flemington racecourse on Saturday (Jan 6), admitted nine festivalgoers to different hospitals across Melbourne.
Victorian Ambulance Union said that eight people were put in medical induced comas and breathing tubes were inserted in their throats.
“These would have been some of the sickest patients our paramedics would deal with, short of going into cardiac arrest,” said Danny Hill, the Victorian Ambulance Union’s secretary, as reported by The Guardian.
“They were really, really sick. You had patients with high temperatures – some over 41 degrees and seizure activity. In order to be transported, [paramedics] have to do an intervention that is normally left for patients suffering a head injury or a stroke," he added.
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Not normal for a high number of people to fall sick at event: Hill
Hill said that it was not normal for a high number of people to fall sick at an event. “I don’t think we’ve seen it for some years, if ever,” he added.
The temperature on Saturday (Jan 6) soared to 32ºC, however, Hill said that MDMA can also increase the blood pressure and body temperature of a person.
“They’re already in a dangerous situation and no doubt that was compounded by the environment,” he said, while speaking to The Guardian.
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The patients were admitted to the Sunshine, Royal Melbourne, Austin, Footscray and St Vincent’s hospitals. Royal Melbourne Hospital's spokesperson said that two patients were in critical condition.
Hill said that he hoped the event of Saturday would further push people to reconsider pill testing in Victoria.
“These drugs are not made in batches of seven or eight tablets. They’re made in batches of hundreds or thousands so there are many more of these deadly tablets out there. And there are many more of these raves throughout the summer season. It can only help to bring in pill-testing and try to intercept the drug use as close as you can to the person using the drug," Hill said.
(With inputs from agencies)