The CDC is urging consumers to avoid using e-cigarette products amid an ongoing investigation into a cluster of mysterious lung illnesses linked to vaping, reports NBC News.
The CDC issued the warning Sept. 6, the same day health officials in California, Indiana and Minnesota each confirmed the death of a patient hospitalized with a vaping-related lung illness.
Nationwide, five deaths have been linked to the lung illnesses. The agency is investigating 450 confirmed and suspected cases in 33 states. In many of these cases, patients said they used vaping products containing marijuana prior to their hospitalization.
The CDC and FDA are working with state health officials to identify the cause of the illnesses. Officials identified a common chemical — vitamin E acetate — in samples of patients' vaping products. However, the CDC says it's still too early to confirm this chemical as the definitive source of the illnesses.
Editor's note: This article was updated Sept. 9 at 8:20 a.m. to include an updated death count.