As investigations of more vaping-related deaths continue, Becker's has compiled a breakdown of relevant CDC information regarding the cause behind the EVALI outbreak.
Seven updates:
1. The CDC reported 66 new EVALI cases this week, bringing the national case count to 2,668 as of Jan. 14. Cases have been reported in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
2. As of Jan. 14, 60 people have died from EVALI in 27 states and the District of Columbia, an increase from 57 deaths reported last week. More deaths are currently under investigation.
3. Of 1,979 EVALI cases providing data, 82 percent (1,620 patients) reported using THC-containing products, including 34 percent (665) who reported using only THC products. A lower 13 percent (264) reported exclusive nicotine-containing product use, according to a report published Jan. 14
4. Among 809 vaping-related injury patients reporting the source of THC products, 16 percent (131) of patients acquired products exclusively from legal sources. Seventy-eight percent (627) acquired THC products from only informal sources such as friends, family, or in-person or online dealers. Among patients 13 to 17 years old, 94 percent acquired THC products only from informal sources, versus 62 percent of those 45 or older.
5. Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont had the highest percentages of patients acquiring THC products from informal sources (50 to 100 percent).
6. In the Northeast and South, Dank Vapes was the most commonly reported brand of products containing THC. Rove was more common in the Midwest, while TKO and Smart Cart brands were more commonly reported by patients in the West.
7. Further evidence has strengthened the suspected link between vitamin E acetate and vaping-related lung illnesses, according to a Dec. 20 study in the New England Journal of Medicine.