NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)- The first death connected to vaping-associated respiratory disease has been reported in the state of Tennessee.

TDH officials issued a news release Thursday that there has been one death in the state.

Our sister station, WKRN in Nashville, reports that the Metro Public Health Department confirmed that death was that of an adult male in Nashville.

WKRN also reports that the Metro Public Health Department is working with the Tennessee Department of Health to investigate the death.

The Tennessee Department of Health said it documented 53 cases of vaping-related illness across the state, that is up from 49 reported earlier this week.

TDH officials also outlined the symptoms in the release saying, “Patients associated with this outbreak have had symptoms including cough, shortness of breath and/or chest pain, growing worse over a period of days or weeks before admission to the hospital. Other symptoms may include fever, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. All patients have reported using e-cigarette or vaping products. At this time, no single product or substance has been linked to all the lung injury cases and the specific chemical or ingredient causing these injuries remains unknown. In many but not all cases, patients have acknowledged recent use of tetrahydrocannabinol or THC-containing e-cigarette products.”

Tennessee Health Commissioner Lisa Piercey, MD, MBA, FAAP, was quoted in that release as saying in part, “We are extremely saddened by this loss of life and extend our sincere condolences to the patient’s family,‘’

Stay with News Channel 11 as we continue to follow this developing story.

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