First vape-related lung disease death in the state reported in North Texas
Texas’ first death from a vaping-related illness was in North Texas last week, the Texas Department of State Health Services confirmed Wednesday.
An older woman died last week from the lung disease that has been associated with using e-cigarettes, public relations director Chris Van Deusen said.
The woman was a resident of North Texas, but Van Deusen said he could not disclose exactly where she was from.
In Texas, 95 people reportedly had the illness. North Texas has the most cases, with 48 people developing the lung illness, the Texas Department of State Health Services reported.
State health officials were also gathering more information about 28 other possible cases. Almost all the patients were in the hospital, with some in intensive care.
As of Sept. 27, 13 people were reported to have the lung illness in Tarrant County.
Symptoms of the illness include difficulty breathing, shortness of breath and coughing. Some people have also experienced nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Nationally, 1,080 cases have been reported.
This story was originally published October 9, 2019 at 6:04 PM.
