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Oregon health officials are investigating a death due to a severe respiratory illness that may be related to a vaping, according to an announcement made Tuesday by the Oregon Health Authority.
The person in Oregon, who died in July, had recently been vaping products containing cannabis purchased at a health clinic, according to this announcement.
Last month, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced the first such death among a growing number of similar lung diseases across the country.
Health officials say they do not know if there is a link between the cases, whether vaping has definitely caused these diseases and what components or chemicals of electronic cigarettes could be responsible for them.
"We do not yet know the exact cause of these diseases – whether they are due to contaminants, ingredients in the liquid or something else, such as the device itself," said Dr. Ann Thomas, a public health physician at the Oregon Health Authority. Health Division, said in a statement.
The report comes after US health authorities revealed new national figures Friday: on August 27, there were at least 215 possible cases of serious pneumopathy that could be caused by a vaping – other cases still under investigation, according to a statement from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the US Food and Drug Administration.
The number of cases of lung disease that could be caused by vaporization continues to grow in more states
Reports from state health departments suggest that the total number of potential cases could be considerably higher, although some cases may still be excluded. The CDC refused to confirm the number of additional reports.
Still, this is an increase from the previous week, when the CDC said it was looking at 193 possible cases in 22 states – including the death in Illinois. The figure of 193 includes unconfirmed cases, have already reported to health authorities.
The CDC, the FDA, and state health departments say they are working together to determine which products could have been used and to facilitate laboratory testing.
Until now, the FDA has "received about 80 samples and continues to receive requests from states to send more samples to the FDA's analysis," says Friday's release. "The samples represent different types of products and substances, some of which contain incomplete information about the product.
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"At the present time, it does not appear that there is a single product involved in all cases, although the use of THC and cannabinoids has been reported in many cases." THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, is the psychoactive substance found in cannabis.
In Wisconsin, health officials said Thursday that a majority of cases in their state had inhaled THC-based products. State health officials have issued severe warnings to residents: Stop vaping immediately.
Health officials said the patients had been hospitalized as a result of symptoms such as breathing difficulties and chest pain. Some experienced other symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and fatigue. Many of those affected were healthy teenagers and young adults.
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