Overdose spike kills 11 in Delaware over Thanksgiving weekend

Eleven people have died of suspected drug overdoses since Wednesday, driving Delaware's death toll to 215 for the year, according to the state Department of Health and Social Services.

The deaths, which spanned all counties and genders, occurred as many families and friends gathered together for the Thanksgiving holiday, a time that can pull on the vulnerabilities of those suffering from addiction, said Dr. Kara Odom Walker, secretary of the state Department of Health and Social Services.

“The holidays can be stressful and may be a trigger point for people struggling with substance use disorder," Walker said. "The most important thing that families can do is to help their loved ones find a connection to treatment and to get them to that initial intake.”

There doesn't appear to be a connection between the deaths, as has been the case in previous spikes this year. In those cases, state officials pointed to specific brands or stamped packages of heroin that were particularly potent.

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In this case, the deaths hit New Castle County hardest, with 8 people dead in the extended holiday weekend. Another three died in Kent and Sussex Counties, all between the ages of 23 and 62, according to the state.

Last month, state officials warned that though this year's statistics appeared lower than the 308 deaths recorded in 2016, they may be deceiving — technically, the state was ahead of last year's numbers when comparing year to date.

Toxicology reports also can take six to eight weeks to complete, which often adds to the death toll for those that may not present as obvious overdoses.

"It’s important to be cautious,” Walker said last month. “We obviously want to be optimistic but we’re really close to where we were last year.”

The spike in deaths come at the time where the state is trying even harder to target those in need of help and unsure of where to find it. This week marks the start of a series of free community sessions hosted by the state Division Substance Abuse and Mental Health. The three sessions, which span the state, will bring together treatment experts and local service providers, as well as offer classes on how to use the overdose antidote, naloxone.

“We’ve heard from people across our state who say they aren’t always sure where and how to access treatment for their loved ones suffering from addiction,” Gov. John Carney said last week in a statement. “These sessions will give people the opportunity to talk face-to-face with providers and advocates from their communities, to ask questions and to figure out which options are best for their particular needs.”

The first session will be held in Kent County on Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. at Delaware Technical Community College, Terry Campus, Corporate Training Center, 100 Campus Drive, Dover.

The next two will be held from 2 to 7 p.m. at the following locations:

Wednesday, Dec. 6, at West End Neighborhood House, 710 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington (New Castle County).

Thursday, Dec. 14, at Delaware Technical Community College, Owens Campus, Carter Partnership Center, 21179 College Drive, Georgetown (Sussex County).

The News Journal will also host an Imagine Delaware forum on Monday, Dec. 4, at John Dickinson High School focused on the cost of the heroin and opioid epidemic to the state.

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The event will begin at 5 p.m. with a vendor fair featuring companies and groups that offer services to those dealing with addiction, and include live conversations with first responders and treatment providers, as well as a panel discussion about the cost of the epidemic and what steps the state must take next to battle the public health crisis.

Panelists include:

Dr. Andrew Kolodny, co-director of opioid policy research at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

Matt Denn, Delaware Attorney General.

Dr. Kara Odom Walker, secretary of the state Department of Health and Social Services.

Dr. Sandra Gibney, emergency room doctor and associate chairman of Emergency Services at Saint Frances Healthcare.

Dr. Terry Horton, chief of addiction medicine at Christiana Care Health System.

Kim Jones, counselor at Gaudenzia in recovery from heroin and drug addiction.

Naloxone training classes will also be offered from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Those interested can sign up online at tickets.delawareonline.com/e/narcan. Those planning to attend to free public forum are encouraged to RSVP to the Facebook event "Imagine Delaware: What Heroin Costs Delaware."

How to get help

New Castle County hotline: (800) 652-2929

Kent and Sussex counties hotline: (800) 345-6785

HelpIsHereDE.com

Contact Brittany Horn at (302) 324-2771 or bhorn@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @brittanyhorn.