Mystery Vaping Illness Claims First Southland Victim: Officials

LOS ANGELES, CA — The mysterious illness stemming from the use of e-cigarettes or vaping has claimed the life a smoker in Los Angeles County, health officials announced Friday. It's believed to the fourth known fatality nationwide.

Already there have been 12 people in Los Angeles afflicted with the illness dubbed vaping-associated pulmonary injury, or VAPI. The deadly trend is sending alarms through the country because the popularity of vaping has exploded despite the dearth of science behind the the long term health effects. Authorities have not identified a specific e-cigarette brand or product the illnesses could be traced back to. However, health officials are examining Vitamin E acetate after it was found in extremely high levels in samples of vaping products that contained cannabis.

In all but one of the 12 Los Angeles County cases, the patients had a "history of using a cannabis or marijuana-type product," notably THC, the active chemical in marijuana, Dr. Muntu Davis, the county's health officer said.

According to Davis, the patient was an "older adult who had chronic underlying health conditions," but vaping is considered the probable cause of death. He declined to give the patient's exact age, but said the person was over 55.

Health officials declined to specify exactly what type of vaping product the person used. Davis stressed that "it is not clear at this time if there is a specific product or device" leading to the illnesses.

Authorities declined to say if the other 11 patients were still hospitalized.

The Food and Drug Administration is now testing vaping samples from across the nation. Contaminants such as nicotine, THC, additives, pesticides, and opioids, poisons and toxins that could be used as cutting agents, NBC reported.

"No one substance, including vitamin E acetate, has been identified in all of the samples tested," an FDA spokesman confirmed NBC News. "Importantly, identifying any compounds that are present in the samples will be one piece of the puzzle but will not necessarily answer questions about causality."

Barbara Ferrer, director of the county Department of Public Health, urged residents "to stop vaping now until further information about what is causing lung damage and deaths can be understood."

"The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health takes this threat seriously and today we're issuing a warning to all residents about the use of these devices as potentially harmful to proper lung function," Ferrer said.

Authorities in Indiana on Friday morning announced a vaping-related death, and deaths were previously reported in Illinois and Oregon.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning Friday morning, urging people to consider refraining from the use of e- cigarettes. CDC officials said an investigation into vaping-related cases found "clinical similarities among those affected."

"We are committed to finding out what is making people sick," CDC director Dr. Robert R. Redfield said in a statement. "All available information is being carefully analyzed, and these initial findings are helping us narrow the focus of our investigation and get us closer to the answers needed to save lives."

According to the CDC, possible vaping-related illnesses have been reported in more than 25 states.

"While this investigation is ongoing, people should consider not using e-cigarette products," according to a CDC statement. "People who do use e-cigarette products should monitor themselves for symptoms -- e.g., cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, fever -- and promptly seek medical attention for any health concerns. Regardless of the ongoing investigation, people who use e-cigarette products should not buy these products off the street and should not modify e-cigarette products or add any substances that are not intended by the manufacturer. E-cigarette products should never be used by youth, young adults, pregnant women, or adults who do not currently use tobacco products."

To the southwest in Orange County, six people have been hospitalized with e-cigarette product related illnesses, according to the OC Healthcare Agency. No deaths have been reported, to date.

"Orange County medical providers are asked to report any suspected cases of VAPI within one business day to the OC Health Care Agency Communicable Disease Control Division at 714-834-8180," Jessica Good, spokesperson for the OC Healthcare Agency told Patch.

Clinicians are asked to have the patient or their family hold onto any product and/or devices that are still available for potential collection and testing by public health.

City News Service and Patch Staffers Paige Austin, Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.