Indiana officials confirm 6 cases of lung disease linked to vaping

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) —  The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) is investigating an unknown lung disease after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed more than 30 cases in five states.

Some of those cases are in Indiana.

In an email to News 8, the ISDH said they are investigating 13 cases of severe respiratory illness among people who all reported a history of vaping. 

Of those 13 cases, six have been confirmed and the other seven are still under investigation.

According to the CDC, the illness is linked to vaping by young adults.

The ISDH said patients in Indiana range in age between 16 and 65, but that the majority of confirmed cases are adults.

Some symptoms of this mystery illness are shortness of breath, cough, weight loss, diarrhea, nausea, chest pain, fever and abdominal pain.

Health care providers have been alerted to these symptoms as the CDC says this illness could carry dangerous lung injury.

The first case was reported in late June.

Illinois, California, Minnesota and Wisconsin all have confirmed cases, with Wisconsin being the largest cluster at 15.

ISDH said there have been no deaths.

The CDC says there is no evidence this illness is an infectious disease, which means it can be spread person-to-person.

For more information about vaping, click here.

For more information about this unknown lung illness, click here.