A third person died of a pulmonary disease related to the vape

A third person died of a serious lung disease related to the use of a vaping device. The death was confirmed Friday by the State of Indiana, who said that an "individual over 18" had died, but did not provide any additional information on the patient or case, citing privacy laws.

Two other people – one in Illinois, the other in Oregon, both adults – have died as a result of what appears to be the same type of illness, said responsible for the health of these States. State and federal health officials are trying to find a cause, possibly a particular chemical or adulterant in some vaping products. To date, more than 200 cases of the mysterious disease have been reported in 25 states.

A press release issued by the Indiana Department of Health said that the state was investigating 30 cases in which people became ill after being vaping; the majority of patients are between 16 and 29 years old. The syndrome affected otherwise healthy people.

What looked like a few scattered cases in mid-June has become a generalized and widespread public health alert, leaving sick people in about two dozen states, some of them so severely placed under fans. Those affected are usually in emergency rooms that are out of breath after several days of flu-like symptoms, including high fever.

The state of New York, where 34 people became ill, said Thursday that inhalation of samples from eight of its cases has shown high levels of a compound called vitamin E acetate. Country investigators are focusing on the possibility that the oily substance plays a key role in the disease.