Two vaping illness cases confirmed in Missouri
Missouri health officials have confirmed two cases of illnesses related to vaping, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Thursday.
In addition to the two cases, seven others are under investigation, the department said in a news release. Those are part of 450 possible cases in the United States and U.S. Virgin Islands, according to the release.
Authorities across the country are investigating the rash of vaping-related illness but right now the cause remains a mystery. In many cases the illnesses have caused severe lung problems in young, healthy people.
“Health officials around the nation are working hard to identify the cause of this outbreak, to prevent additional illnesses and protect health,” Dr. Randall Williams, DHSS director, said in the news release. “Missourians are encouraged to follow the CDC guidance to refrain from using e-cigarette products if you are concerned about these specific health risks, especially while the investigation is ongoing.”
Patients have reported symptoms that include cough, shortness of breath or chest pain; nausea, vomiting or diarrhea; fatigue, fever or weight loss; and elevated heart rate, according to the news release.
The department did not release where the cases originated because, with so few cases, doing so could lead to those patients being identified, spokeswoman Lisa Cox said.
However, a spokesperson for the Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services said the department received a report Aug. 19 of a Boone County resident being admitted to a Jefferson City facility with acute respiratory distress syndrome which might have been caused by vaping.
A University of Missouri Health Care spokeswoman said doctors have treated patients which might have become ill after vaping, but the link has not been confirmed.
