HARTFORD — The Department of Public Health is reporting today that five more Connecticut residents are ill with lung injuries possibly related to using e-cigarettes or vaping.
This brings the total to 18 cases that have been reported to DPH and all of those people have been released from the hospital.
The cases were in the following counties:
- Fairfield – 9
- New Haven – 5
- New London – 1
- Tolland – 1
- Windham – 1
DPH says four patients are under 18 years of age, 11 patients are between the ages 18 to 34 and three are 35 years of age and older.
“We are working with the CDC and other states to find out what is causing these lung injuries,” said DPH Commissioner Renée D. Coleman-Mitchell. “I am urging Connecticut residents to consider not using e-cigarette or vaping products, at least until we know more about what is making people sick.”
The US Food and Drug Administration is expected to finalize its policy on flavored e-cigarettes and vaping products in the coming weeks, acting FDA Commissioner Dr. Ned Sharpless said Wednesday.
The FDA policy as it has been described would require all flavors other than tobacco to be taken off the market and then get “premarket authorization” before attempting to return to the market.
