Illinois coroner blames overdose spike in part on virus

WHEATON, Ill. (AP) - There has been a spike in opioid overdose deaths in a northern Illinois county in recent weeks and it could be because of increased isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic, a coroner said Wednesday.

DuPage County Coroner Richard Jorgensen said 20 people in the county have died from overdoses in the past three weeks, in comparison to 96 in all of 2019.

'œWe do not know if this is due to a change in the makeup of the drugs, drug usage on the streets or due to current COVID-19-related changes in society,'ť Jorgensen said in a statement.

Many of the recent deaths were people who lived alone, were having personal or marital difficulty, depression and recent treatment for drug use, he said. There was no demographic pattern in the new fatalities, and the overdoses were 'œfound in all areas of the county,'ť Jorgensen said.

DuPage County State's Attorney Bob Berlin said efforts to fight the illegal use of opioids should not be ignored while attention is focused on the pandemic. The nation is still facing a 'œsevere opioid epidemic that has claimed too many lives and must not be forgotten,'ť Berlin said.

Jorgensen said he wants members of the public to check in on people at high risk of overdose, noting difficult times are made worse when a person misuses drugs, has mental health issues or both.