A patient who contracted a serious lung disease after vaping has died in Illinois, health officials revealed, marking what is believed to be the first death in the U.S. linked to the smoking alternative that has become popular with teens and young adults.
The Illinois Department of Health said the person who died was hospitalized after falling ill following vaping with severe respiratory illness. No information about the patient, including name, exact age, hometown or date of death was released.
The state received the report of the death Thursday, said Dr. Jennifer Layden, the Illinois agency’s chief medical officer.
COLORADO SEES FIRST VAPING-RELATED ILLNESS IN ‘SUDDEN AND SEVERE’ CASE
Illinois health officials said Friday that 22 people ranging in age from 17-38 years have experienced respiratory illness after using e-cigarettes or vaping in the past week.
Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that 193 people in 22 states have contracted severe respiratory illnesses after vaping. However, they said a clear-cut common cause of the illnesses hasn’t been identified and that they are being called “potential cases” that are still under investigation. – READ MORE