First vaping-related death in Nebraska brings national death toll to at least 15

A vaping-related death in Nebraska has brought the national death toll from lung illnesses linked to e-cigarette use to at least 15 people.

The state’s first vaping death comes amid more than 800 cases of the lung illness that have been reported across the country. Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services did not identify the person who died but said the individual was over 65 years old and from the Douglas County area.

The state’s epidemiologist Dr. Tom Safranek said Monday that vaping-associated lung injuries were unreported and not tracked by public health agencies prior to the emergence of hundreds of cases across the country in recent weeks.

source: nbcnews.com