NEW YORK — The number of breathing illnesses reported among people who vape is growing. Health officials are now looking into 153 possible cases in 16 states.
Officials on Wednesday said the Food and Drug Administration has joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and states investigating reports from the last two months.
All the illnesses were in teens or adults who had used an electronic cigarette or some other kind of vaping device. Doctors say the illnesses resemble an inhalation injury, with the lungs apparently reacting to a caustic substance. So far infectious diseases have been ruled out.
The possible cases were reported in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin from June 28, 2019 to Aug. 20, 2019.
No single vaping product or compound has been linked to all of the cases, and officials said it's not clear if there's a common cause.
The CDC said it many cases patients reported a gradual start to symptoms including breathing difficulty, shortness of breath or chest pain.
No deaths have been reported.
