Nearly 100 cases of vaping-related lung illness reported in Utah

Nam Y. Huh, Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — Nearly 100 cases of vaping-related lung injuries have been identified in Utah, the state health department said Monday, with 15 more possible cases under investigation.

As of Monday afternoon, 98 cases of the still-mysterious illness and one death had been reported, according to the Utah Department of Health, the majority since July.

There had been 1,479 cases of vaping-related lung injuries reported nationwide as of Oct. 15, in all states except Alaska, statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show. A total of 33 deaths have been confirmed in 24 states.

While the exact cause of the lung illness is still unknown, Utah health officials say it appears to be caused by vaping THC cartridges. Utahns are advised not to vape THC cartridges until more information about the lung injuries and their relationship to vaping is known.

Patients are male in 82% of the Utah cases, according to the state’s department of health, with a median age of 26 years old. More than nine out of 10 patients reported vaping THC, with most THC products acquired through friends, online, and from in-person dealers.

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