Fifteen states have now reported more than 120 cumulative cases of vaping-related lung disease or injury, according to the results of a CNN survey of state health departments.
According to CNN, Wisconsin is the state with the most cases—15 confirmed and 15 under investigation—followed by Illinois, which has confirmed 10 cases and is investigating another 12. California is looking into 19 cases; New York is investigating 11.
Other states that reported confirmed or potential cases included Indiana, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Utah. Forty-two states and Washington, D.C., responded to CNN’s survey.
Health officials are still largely unaware of what’s causing the sudden influx of vaping-linked injuries, though the rate of use of e-cigarettes in recent years has skyrocketed. The CDC, which on Saturday announced it was launching its own investigation into the topic, is urging physicians to collect information and samples of what patients might have been vaping at the time of their injury.
“There is no diagnostic code...for lung diseases related to vaping,” Humberto Choi, a pulmonologist and critical care specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, told CNN. “So it’ll be hard to follow and track.”
Read the full story below:
After graduating from Indiana University-Bloomington with a bachelor’s in journalism, Anicka joined TriMed’s Chicago team in 2017 covering cardiology. Close to her heart is long-form journalism, Pilot G-2 pens, dark chocolate and her dog Harper Lee.