On Monday, Nebraska health officials reported the states first death related to severe lung disease associated with e-cigarettes or vaping and the 14th in the nation.
The person was over 65 and from the Douglas County Health Department area. Public health officials said the death in Nebraska occurred in May.
“Prior to the outbreak of lung injury associated with vaping in Wisconsin and Illinois this past August, vaping-associated lung injuries were unreported and not tracked by public health agencies,” said Dr. Tom Safranek, State Epidemiologist for DHHS. “Once the problem was recognized, states quickly ramped up surveillance and found current cases, but have also discovered cases that occurred before the August outbreak.”
The state currently has 11 cases of vaping-related illness and two under investigation. The majority are males. Age range is late teens to late 60s. Some of those affected were hospitalized.
As of September 24, 2019, 805 confirmed and probable patient cases of lung injury associated with e-cigarette product use, or vaping, were reported by 46 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
