INDIANAPOLIS — At least 13 Hoosiers have developed a lung illness that is believed to be related to vaping.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tracked 94 cases of the illnesses in 14 states since June of this year. The agency says some patients grew so ill they needed a ventilator to help them breathe, but improved when treated with steroids.
The Indiana State Department of Health says 13 of those cases are in Indiana.
All of the patients reported having used e-cigarettes in the weeks or months before falling ill.
Greta Sanderson with the ISDH said the agency has confirmed that six of those 13 cases are related to vaping, the rest are still being investigated. The patients range in age from 16 to 65.
The majority of patients are adults, according to Sanderson.
Symptoms Include:
- Shortness of Breath
- Cough
- Chest Pain
- Fever
- Weight Loss
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Abdominal Pain
The ISDH says anyone who has vaped in the past 90 days and has experienced any of the symptoms below should stop using the products immediately and contact their health provider.
"While some cases in each of the states are similar and appear to be linked to e-cigarette product use, more information is needed to determine what is causing the illnesses," the CDC said in a press release.
