The number of US fatalities caused by the use of e-cigarettes, or vaping, rose by eight during the past week to a total of 26, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said in a statement.
"Twenty-six deaths have been confirmed in 21 states," the CDC said on Thursday. "1,299 confirmed and probable lung injury cases associated with the use of the e-cigarette, or vaping, products were reported by 49 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands."
The deaths occurred in the states of Alabama, California (three), Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia (two), Illinois, Indiana, Kansas (two), Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oregon (two), Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia, the CDC said.
The patients that died ranged in age from 17 to 75 years, the statement added.
On Wednesday, the Chinese-based e-commerce giant Alibaba said it would impose new restrictive measures for e-cigarette and accessory sales in the United States from Thursday. Earlier, the US retail giant Walmart said it would suspend the sale of electronic nicotine-vaping products.