Wisconsin health authorities linked vaping to an outbreak of severe lung disease that sent 11 people to the hospital in June and July.
In Illinois, another 3 young people were hospitalized for severe breathing problems after vaping, according to a warning from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Authorities are still investigating what caused the outbreak of lung injuries, but the victims all had one thing in common — vaping e-cigarettes in the weeks and months before they were hospitalized.
The names and types of vape products they used is still unknown.
Some of the teenagers were seriously ill and needed ventilators to help them breathe, according to Jonathan Meiman, a chief medical officer with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
They all reported suffering from coughing, shortness of breath, and fatigue that worsened over days or weeks until they were hospitalized.
Some patients also reported other symptoms such as a fever, loss of appetite, chest pain, nausea, and diarrhea.
Doctors checked the patients for infections, but tests were negative, leading them to suspect vaping as a source of the injuries. Scans and X-rays at the hospital showed scarring and extensive lung damage.
The 11 victims in Wisconsin came from 3 southeastern counties, including Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Winnebago. The 3 victims in Illinois reside in the northeastern part of the state.
Source: Severe Pulmonary Disease Among Adolescents who ReportedVaping