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According to Public Health – Seattle & King County, fentanyl-encrusted pills and drugs cause an increase in the total number of overdose deaths in King County.
The ongoing follow-up of overdose deaths by Public Health shows that between mid-June and mid-September, 141 people overdosed and died. Last year, during the same period, 109 people died from an overdose.
Another worrying trend is the increasing number of housed people who die from a fentanyl-related overdose, according to Public Health. Between June and September, 21 people died from fentanyl overdose, a synthetic narcotic that is much more potent than other opioids such as heroin.
Since January, 63 people have died of fentanyl. This figure exceeds the total of 62 last year, double the 2017 total.
This contrasts with homeless people, who are more likely to die from overdoses of methamphetamine or opioids other than fentanyl. Public Health found that from mid-June to August, only one homeless person succumbed to fentanyl-related causes.
Public Health is still trying to understand why the homeless population is experiencing such an increase in the number of fentanyl overdose deaths, said Dr. Jeff Duchin, the agency's health officer.
Almost all of the county's fatal overdoses involved a cocktail of substances, with methamphetamine-related incidents continuing to increase in particular.
Overdose deaths continue to increase in King County and throughout the state, under the influence of fentanyl. In King County, last year, 415 people died as a result of an overdose related to the consumption of alcohol and drugs. In 2017, 379 people died, according to an annual report from public health.
This summer's deaths have not been concentrated in one region and have mostly affected young men, Duchin said.
At the state level, there were 710 overdose deaths in 2018, about one-third of which were related to fentanyl. According to Public Health, in King County, fatal overdoses of heroin and prescription opioids have stabilized, while deaths related to fentanyl have doubled since 2017.
The increase in the number of fentanyl-related deaths nationwide has been a source of concern, particularly since his arrival in Washington, Duchin said.
"It's a sad fact that fentanyl is catching up with the people of King County," he said.
In an effort to reduce the number of people suffering from an opioid overdose, the state has made naloxone available to all through a pharmacy. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, temporarily blocks the effects of opioids. It can be administered by injection or nasal spray. Earlier this year, the state's Department of Health launched a naloxone kits distribution program across the state. The program is expected to distribute 11,000 kits in its first year.
In King County, naloxone kits have been handed over to police and treatment providers and are made available to the public through needle exchanges. Last year, the county distributed more than 20,000 kits. 5,000 overdoses were reversed because of them, according to Public Health.
The state and county are also working to get people with opioid-related disorders to be treated with buprenorphine, which contributes to recovery. The state maintains a map showing where people can find clinics and health care providers providing buprenorphine and methadone.
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