In the wake of a nationwide outbreak of lung illness linked to vaping, health departments in Maryland and Virginia each established new requirements for health care providers this week.
As of Thursday, providers in Maryland are now required to report suspected cases to their local health department within one working day. And, under a directive issued Wednesday, providers in Virginia must immediately report such cases.
Since late August, providers in D.C. have been urged to promptly report their cases to the District’s Department of Health.
Health officials nationwide are still making sense of the outbreak. There were 1,080 confirmed and probable cases as of Thursday in 48 states and one territory, The Associated Press reports, and over a dozen have died.
- In Maryland, there were 23 cases as of Tuesday.
- In Virginia, there were 33 cases and one reported death as of Tuesday.
- No cases have been reported in D.C.
Health officials urge users to stop — especially if they’re consuming products that contain THC — and to seek treatment if they experience such symptoms as chest pain, shortness of breath and chest pain.
WTOP’s Jack Pointer contributed to this report.
