(Getty Images)
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Seventeen more cases of vaping-related lung illness have been reported in Massachusetts, the state's Department of Public Health reported.
That brings the total of cases in the Commonwealth to 46, the DPH said; 16 of those cases are confirmed, while 30 are considered probable.
The DPH also announced the creation of a weekly report that tracks vaping illness statistics in the state. The report, which will be released every Wednesday, will list the number of new cases, along with a breakdown of gender, age, whether or not the patient was hospitalized, and what substances—THC, nicotine, CBD, or combinations of the three—the patients vaped.
View Mass DPH's Weekly Vape Illness Data Here
In response to the nationwide illness, Gov. Charlie Baker declared a public health emergency and instituted a four-month state-wide ban of all vaping products in Massachusetts last month.
A judge ruled this week that the ban stands for now, but the Baker administration may have overstepped when enacting it and changes need to be made. The ruling only applies to nicotine vapes.
The judge said that if Baker wanted to implement the ban, the state should have held a public hearing to discuss it, including the effect on business.
In a statement, Baker's office said it stands by the ban, citing the illnesses across the country and one death in Massachusetts.
Baker and the DPH asked that a preliminary injunction be stayed until it can be reviewed, with an answer sought by Thursday.
Follow WBZ NewsRadio: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | iHeartmedia App