Drug overdose deaths shatter August record

A record number of people died in Delaware from suspected overdoses in August, according to reports from the Delaware Division of Forensic Science.

The monthly total of 39 deaths was the highest since the Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) began tracking deaths from suspected overdoses in late 2013.

The previous monthly record was 27 deaths in April of this year.

“It is heartbreaking and alarming to see so many lives lost to suspected overdoses,” said DHSS Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker. “We suspect that many of the overdoses involved fentanyl so we are warning people who are in active use to assume that the illicit drugs they are using contain this highly toxic and dangerous synthetic opioid. Any use of such a substance could kill them.” Fentanyl is up to 50 to 100 times more potent than heroin.

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