The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the number of cases of severe diseases has been increasing related to the use of liquid-type e-cigarettes in the U.S. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Korea Bizwire) — The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) said Monday it has received notice of a suspected case of a lung disease related to liquid-type electronic cigarettes in South Korea, and is now looking into possible links to e-cigarettes.
Since September 20, the KCDC has received cases of lung diseases related to the use of e-cigarettes from medical institutions.
In the reported case, the patient visited the medical institution after complaining of symptoms of lung disease such as coughing and difficulty breathing.
The case was later reported to the KCDC by medical staff for suspecting the case being related to liquid-type e-cigarettes.
The reported patient smoked regular cigarettes in the past and changed to liquid-type e-cigarettes six months prior to admission.
Fortunately, the patient has been discharged from the hospital due to his improved condition.
“Among patients suffering from lung disease, the medical institution reported the cases based on the criteria of whether they have used liquid-type e-cigarettes,” a KCDC official said.
“We have yet to confirm whether the lung disease is related to liquid-type e-cigarettes.”
According to the KCDC, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the number of cases of severe diseases has been increasing related to the use of liquid-type e-cigarettes in the U.S.
Some 26 patients of the 1,299 suspected cases reported in the U.S. had died as of October 8.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has also recommended that all liquid-type e-cigarettes be banned since September 20.
Furthermore, the government also advised users of liquid-type e-cigarettes to visit a hospital or clinic immediately if they experience symptoms of difficulty breathing such as coughing and chest pain.
Meanwhile, in order to check the relevance of liquid-type e-cigarettes to lung diseases, the KCDC has formed a research team, which includes civilian experts, to prepare case standards and in-depth investigation details.
D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)
