Officials: 14 Lake County residents hospitalized for opioid overdoses in 5-day span
Citing a recent uptick in opioid overdoses, Lake County health officials are urging people whose loved ones may be using opioids to reach out for free resources, including fentanyl testing strips and naloxone, a drug used to reverse overdoses.
From Feb. 24 to March 1, 14 Lake County residents were hospitalized for opioid overdoses.
Investigators are looking for any connections between the cases, said Mark Pfister, executive director of the county health department.
Pfister said the department tracks the number of overdoses reported by area hospitals to identify any unexpected changes and inform the public, local leaders and first responders.
"We wanted to notify the community so that they're aware that something may be occurring that may lead to more opioid overdoses," Pfister said.
Pfister said one possible cause of the recent increase in overdoses could be fentanyl, a synthetic opioid increasingly laced into illegal drugs.
Many experts say it is fueling overdoses and overdose deaths.
According to the Lake County coroner's office, 92 of the 131 deadly overdoses in 2022 involved fentanyl. Of those, 76 deaths were determined to have been caused by a combination of fentanyl and another drug.
The local numbers reflect a national trend. In 2021, overdoses from all drugs claimed the lives of more than 100,000 Americans for the first time, and of those more than 71,000 deaths were caused at least in part by synthetic opioids like fentanyl, according to CDC data.
As overdose deaths have climbed, so, too, has the urgency for health officials to distribute naloxone to the public.
Pfister said his department distributed nearly 6,000 doses of naloxone in 2022 alone, most of which was obtained through grants. He said since 2021 the kits have been used to reverse overdoses more than 300 times.
"We've heard many, many times from people telling stories about saving somebody (with naloxone)," Pfister said, "And from individuals who are grateful that they have the peace of mind that they have it for someone they are concerned about just in case."
Initially, the overdose-reversing drug was available only as an injection, so the health department primarily distributed it to trained first responders, Pfister said. But the kits the health department distributes now contain the easier-to-use nasal spray version of the potentially lifesaving drug.
To request a free naloxone kit, visit lakecountyil.gov/naloxone or call (847) 377-8199.
Pfister urged people who have or know someone who has opioid dependency disorder to visit a health department location so his office can provide personalized service.
"We take the opportunity to know individuals and to get to know what their unmet needs are," Pfister said. "They might need medical care, dental care, housing or food. These are all things we can assist with as part of combating opioids."