CHICAGO — A powerful pain medication used to treat cancer patients — which is often combined with heroin — has contributed to at least 40 deaths this year in Cook County, officials said Monday.
"Toxicology testing ... has revealed a sharp rise in the number of deaths in which fentanyl caused or contributed to an accidental death," the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a written statment.
Three deaths involving fentanyl were seen in July, four in August, and 17 in September, the office said. Of those 17 September deaths, both heroin and fentanyl were detected in the blood of victims in seven cases, the medical examiner's office said.
The final death toll could be higher: the investigations on a few additional cases from September are still being finalized, the medical examiner's office said.
So far this year, the office has determined there have been 40 accidental deaths in which fentanyl played a role, medical examiner's office said.
And in October, Chicago Fire Department paramedics treated 74 heroin overdoses within a 72-hour time period.
Toxicology tests from cases in early October are still being processed, the medical examiner's office said.
Fentanyl is an opiate that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, which is the active component of heroin. It is often used to treat cancer patients.
The Washington Post has reported that the DEA issued a nationwide health alert on fentanyl, but where it is coming from is a mystery. The drug is not being diverted from hospitals or drug stores so some experts believe it is coming from clandestine labs in Mexico. Others believe it is being made in China and shipped through Mexico.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
