Texas teen, 15, becomes youngest vaping-related fatality in US

A 15-year-old Texas resident has become the nation's youngest vaping-related fatality, health officials confirmed Thursday.

Dr. Philip Huang, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services, called the death of the teenager "tragic" and cautioned the public against even passing use of vaping products, Fox News reported.

“We are seeing that severe lung damage, and even death, can occur with just short-term use of these products,” Huang said in a statement.

As of Jan. 7, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has documented 2,602 cases of lung injury associated with vaping products, resulting in 57 deaths across 27 states and the District of Columbia. CDC Director Robert Redfield Jr. tweeted on Thursday the most current figures available.

OUTBREAK UPDATE: As of 1/7, 2,602 cases of hospitalized e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury or deaths have been reported from all 50 states, DC, & 2 US territories (Puerto Rico & USVI). 57 deaths were confirmed in 27 states & DC. https://t.co/6E0qEUzn9s pic.twitter.com/bmkUGm9gji
— Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH (@CDCDirector) January 10, 2020

According to the CDC's data, the deceased have ranged in age from 15 to 75.

Although the Texas teenager has not been identified publicly, Dallas County health officials reported on New Year's Eve the death of a minor with a "chronic underlying medical condition," CNN reported.