Photo: The Canadian Press

Health Canada says a severe pulmonary illness recently diagnosed in Quebec is the country's first confirmed case connected to vaping.

It says that while other cases are believed to be linked to the controversial practice, they are still under evaluation by provincial authorities and have not yet been officially classed as tied to vaping.

Canada's chief public health officer said last week that at least three reports of potential vaping-related illnesses were being investigated in the country. They included a local health authority's report that a teen from London, Ont., who used e-cigarettes daily was on life support for a time due to severe pulmonary illness.

Word of the confirmed case in Quebec comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States reported a surge of vaping-related illnesses and deaths.

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