DuPage County fentanyl deaths up 76% in 2018

DuPage County deaths in 2018 caused by fentanyl alone increased by 76 percent over the previous year, according to opioid statistics released Thursday by the DuPage County coroner’s office.

Fentanyl on its own contributed to 30 DuPage County deaths in 2018, compared with 17 in 2017, 16 in 2016 and eight in 2015, the coroner’s office news release said.

Deaths resulting from the combination of heroin and fentanyl in 2018 was 34. That’s up from 32 in 2017, 26 in 2016 and seven in 2015. Heroin alone accounted for 17 DuPage County deaths in 2018. That’s down from 23 in 2017 and 36 in 2016 and 2015.

DuPage County deaths from illegal opioids increased 13 percent — from 72 to 81 — from 2017 to 2018, according to the news release. Total deaths in DuPage County from opioids, including prescription medications, increased from 95 in 2017 to 98 in 2018 — or by 3 percent.

The opioid epidemic is escalating and destroying the lives of too many DuPage County residents, DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said in the release.

“The influx of potent synthetic opiates including fentanyl has increased significantly, and now represents a higher percentage of illicit drug usage and cause of death than heroin alone,” Jorgensen said in the release. “I and my office remain committed to continue our efforts to fight against this plague through education, support of drug treatment and the DuPage County Narcan Program.”

Opioid-based prescription medicines accounted for 17 deaths in 2018, down from 23 in 2017. Prescription medicines that are opioid-based contributed to 17 DuPage County deaths in 2016, according to the release.