First reported case of illness linked to vaping in Canada, officials say
An Ontario teenager was put on life-support after using a vaping device in what public health officials say is the first reported case of illness linked to the practice in Canada.
Officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit were alerted by a local doctor after the high school student fell ill and was sent to hospital.
“The individual was using e-cigarettes at least daily,” said Dr. Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health.
“We have information about the brand used.”
That information is not being released but has been passed to Canada’s chief medical officer of health who will be gathering systematic data to determine if one vaping device is more potent than another.
“We’re not releasing information about the brand information because that would imply that this is something coming from one brand, when clearly looking at the international evidence, that’s not the case,” Mackie said.
Mackie said the teen has been released from hospital and is doing well.
“There are some who claim that vaping is not a risk in Canada,” he said. “That is not the case. It’s important that people understand vaping does create health risks.”
There have been hundreds of such cases in the United States, but this is believed to be the first case of severe pulmonary illness linked to vaping in Canada.
“We know very little about the long-term health effects associated with e-cigarettes, but our findings so far are enough to convince us of the need to advise the public,” Mackie said.
Mackie did caution that it’s impossible to 100 per cent confirm the youth’s illness was caused by vaping, but said there was no other evidence to suggest it was caused by something else.
“There was no other cause — no infectious cause,” he said. “The only issue identified is that the individual vaped e-cigarettes.
The health unit says it will not disclose the age, gender or hometown of the patient, claiming confidentiality.
The news comes on the same day as the Ontario health minister ordered public hospitals to report vaping-related cases of severe pulmonary disease.
Kate Dubinski – CBC News – Sep 18, 2019.
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