Between 10 and 15 people with asthma have attended Albury Base Hospital’s emergency department every day since Friday.

On average it would see about five a day.

Corowa hospital treated 13 patients at the weekend compared to an average of two.

Albury hospital’s nursing unit manager Ian Aldrich said the jump in asthma cases was seasonal and was linked to the weather.

“It’s the time of the year when we’re changing from spring to summer and there’s a large amount of pollen in the air,” he said.

“The weather is warmer, there’s more wind and you add to that thunderstorm activity which causes the pollen to be released.

“It creates a cocktail that triggers asthma in a lot of people.”

He warned sufferers that conditions would only get worse.

President of Murray Wheezers Support Group Marlene Kennedy has been among the many sufferers who have struggled to manage their asthma in recent days.

She said she found Monday particularly “oppressive” with a large amount of pollen in the air.

“You get this very humid and unsettling weather conditions and it just makes you very uncomfortable and it’s very difficult to breathe, especially during the night,” said Mrs Kennedy, who also suffers from hay fever.