Lung injury cases are now at 2,172, CDC reports

There were 2,172 cases of lung injury related to gunfire from November 13, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday.

This is an increase from last week when there were 2,051 cases of gun-related lung damage.

"Fortunately, the new cases seem to be trending downward nationally, although some states remain severely affected," CDC Chief Executive Dr. Anne Schuchat testified Wednesday against the US Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

The gun damage has been reported in 49 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Alaska is still the one state without any weapon-related injuries reported to the CDC.

The agency has also confirmed 42 confirmed deaths in 24 states and the District of Columbia, from 1[ads1]7 to 75 years old with a median age of 52. Other deaths are still under investigation.

However, the age of those affected by lung injury tends to be younger, with a median age of 24 and almost 4 in 5 patients under 35 years of age. About 7 out of 10 are men.

The CDC states that it has not yet identified the official cause or causes of the outbreak, but the investigation has increasingly focused on products containing THC.

Last week, the agency reported the first "chemical of concern" it discovered in patient samples: vitamin E acetate, an additive sometimes used in these products because it resembles THC oil and can be used as a thickening component.

The chemical is generally considered harmless in foods, supplements and creams – but inhaling it "may interfere with normal air functioning," according to the CDC.

However, that does not mean the case has been closed. of chemicals, according to Schuchat.

"This does not exclude other possible ingredients," Schuchat told reporters last week. "There may be more than one reason."