COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Department of Health reports that the number of vaping-related illnesses in the state has increased to 17, including one case in Cuyahoga County.
The Cuyahoga County Board of Health told Channel 3 that the case involves a 59-year-old Beachwood man.
Officials are also investigating a case involving a 64-year-old woman from North Olmsted.
The news comes as the Centers for Disease Control reports that there are now 530 confirmed and probable vaping illness cases in 38 states and one U.S. territory. Eight deaths have been reported.
Canada reported its first case Wednesday, a high school student who was on life support and has since recovered.
All patients had used an electronic cigarette or other vaping device.
Doctors have said the illnesses resemble an inhalation injury, with the lungs apparently reacting to a caustic substance. So far, no single vaping product or ingredient has been linked to the illnesses, though most patients reported vaping THC, the high-producing ingredient in marijuana.
The Ohio Department of Health says that the range of those people who have suffered illnesses is from 16-59 years old. 11 of the 17 people who are ill are men, six are women. Cuyahoga County joins Summit, Portage, Richland, and Wayne as Northeast Ohio counties affected by the vaping illness epidemic.
Governor Mike DeWine says he's considering banning the sale of flavored e-cigarettes in Ohio, saying earlier this week that Ohio "is in the midst of a public health crisis. This is why I have directed my legal team to investigate the possibility of banning nicotine flavors, which are clearly being targeted to young people who are getting addicted."