CDC: 2,172 EVALI Cases and 42 Deaths Reported in the U.S.

On November 15, according to foreign media reports, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday that as of November 13, there had been 2,172 cases of vaping-related lung injury.
 
This was an increase from the previous week, when 2,051 cases of vaping-related lung injury had been reported.

Dr. Anne Schuchat, principal deputy director of the CDC, testified Wednesday before the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions that, fortunately, although some states continue to be hit hard, new cases are declining nationwide.

According to reports, vaping-related injuries have occurred in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Alaska remains the only state that has not reported any vaping-related injuries to the CDC.

The agency also confirmed 42 deaths in 24 states and the District of Columbia, involving patients ranging in age from 17 to 75, with a median age of 52. Other deaths remain under investigation.

However, people affected by the lung injuries have tended to be younger, with a median age of 24, and nearly four out of five patients were under 35 years old. About seven out of ten were male.

The CDC said that the official cause of the outbreak has not yet been identified, but the investigation is increasingly focused on products containing THC.

Last week, the agency reported the first chemical of concern detected in patient samples: vitamin E acetate, an additive sometimes used in these products because it resembles THC oil and can serve as a thickening agent.

The CDC said that this chemical is generally considered harmless in foods, supplements, and lotions, but inhaling it may interfere with normal lung function.

However, this does not mean the case is closed. Schuchat said the CDC is continuing to evaluate various chemicals.

Schuchat told reporters last week that this does not rule out other possible factors, and there may be multiple causes.