Louisiana health officials are reporting a third vaping-related death since August 2019, the first this year.
The news comes as the number of vaping-related illnesses nationwide has been declining for months.
The Louisiana Department of Health updated its vaping illness numbers on Friday.
There have been 35 cases of e-cigarette or vaping associated lung injury (EVALI) in the state since August 2019. Seventeen of those cases involved exposure to both nicotine and THC, the compound found in marijuana. Nine cases involved exposure to nicotine alone.
Common EVALI symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea and fever, among others. A full list of symptoms is available here.
Nationally, there have been 2,711 EVALI cases, including 60 confirmed deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The number of cases spiked in September 2019 and has steadily been declining since.
State and national health officials are still investigating the causes behind the EVALI outbreak. Signs continue to point to Vitamin E acetate, a thickening agent added to many vaping products, but the CDC has not ruled out the contribution of other chemicals.
