The Department of Health announced on Tuesday the first New Jersey death associated with the national vaping outbreak.
The death, involving an adult female from northern New Jersey, was reported to the department in August and mentioned as a report under investigation by Department of Health Acting Commissioner Judith Persichilli at the time Gov. Phil Murphy announced the creation of the Electronic Smoking Device Task Force on Sept. 12, 2019.
The total number of confirmed and probable cases of serious lung disease in the state has risen to 14—including two probable cases. One of the probable cases is the death being reported Tuesday. NJDOH categorizes cases based on CDC case definitions.
“The New Jersey Department of Health is saddened to announce a death associated with this outbreak. This death underscores the potential dangers associated with vaping,” said Persichilli, who chairs the Governor’s Electronic Smoking Device Task Force.