Report shows fentanyl big contributor to recent deaths

From Aug. 2 through Monday Aug. 6, Cuyahoga County saw 16 people die from drug overdoses.

The Cuyahoga Medical Examiner’s Office originally reported that 14 people had died of overdoses during that span, however, preliminary testing increased that number to 16.

Eleven of the 16 victims were over the age of 50. Seven were over the age of 60. The ages of the victims ranged from 27 to 72,.

The medical examiner’s office released preliminary reports of the drug testings Aug. 9.

Screenings show at least 14 of the deaths involved fentanyl. One report listed only opiates and another is awaiting test results.

According to the screenings, 10 likely involved heroin and seven involved cocaine. Five of the overdoses likely involved a combination of fentanyl, heroin and cocaine. One involved meth.

The medical examiner’s office stressed the results are preliminary and it will

take some time until the testing is complete.

The office also released its July overdose death report Aug. 9. Through July, the county was projected to see its total overdose deaths decrease from 727 last year to 702 this year, but with the recent spike the office is projecting this year’s figures will match last year’s.

There were at least 39 overdose deaths in July with 12 cases pending additional testing. At least 253 people have died from heroin, fentanyl or a fentanyl analog in the county through July, according

to the report. At the same time last year there were 345 deaths and 257 in 2016.

Through July there have been 21 fatal cases involving the large animal sedative carfentanil. Last year there were 191 total overdose deaths involving the drug.

There were at least 29 cocaine-related deaths in the county in July, with at least 16 being mixed with fentanyl, heroin or both. There are at least 107 deaths in Cuyahoga County through July that involved cocaine mixed with some combination of fentanyl and/or heroin.