Washington, Nov. 15 -- The number of deaths caused by vaping-related respiratory illnesses in the United States has climbed to 42, and nearly 2,200 cases of lung injuries have been reported, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a notice.

"Forty-two deaths have been confirmed in 24 states and the District of Columbia as of November 13," the agency said in its weekly update on Thursday.

The median age of deceased patients was 52 years and ranged from 17 to 75 years, the CDC said."More deaths are under investigation," the agency added.As of November 13, it said some 2,172 lung injury cases related to vaping have been reported to the agency from 49 states, the District of Columbia, and 1 U.S. territory.About 64 perce...