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Four more vaping-related lung injuries reported in Washington state

A second Snohomish County resident was hospitalized for a vaping-associated lung injury, health officials announced Wednesday.

Later Wednesday, health officials in King County announced three more confirmed cases and one probable case of severe lung disease associated with vaping. The announcement came nearly a month after the first King County vaping-related lung illness was confirmed on Sept. 20.

The recent four cases were admitted to King County hospitals with respiratory distress, and other symptoms varied between the patients, according to staff from Public Health - Seattle and King County.

"Some, but not all patients, had fever, cough and abdominal pain," Sharon Bogan wrote on the public health website. "Three of the four patients have since been released from the hospital and are recovering.The fourth patient is still hospitalized. Three of the four patients are male. Two of the patients are in their teens and two in their thirties."

In the Snohomish County case, a woman in her 40s was hospitalized last week. She reported vaping legally purchases flavored nicotine and THC products.

"A medical provider reported the case to the Snohomish Health District. The District, in partnership with the state Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, has asked providers to report lung injuries that are not fully explained by another infection or illness, and where the patient reports use of an e-cigarette or vapor device," spokeswoman Heather Thomas wrote.

The CDC is reporting nearly 1,300 cases of vaping-associated lung injury across the country, and 26 deaths.

Fifteen cases are confirmed throughout Washington.

"The specific ingredient(s) or contaminant(s) causing the national outbreak has not yet been determined," Thomas wrote. "Whether Snohomish County's and Washington State's cases are linked to or caused by the same culprit as the national outbreak is also unknown at this time.

"No additional Snohomish County cases are being investigated at this time."

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