Deadly spike: Heroin suspected in 16 deaths in just 19 days in York County

Sixteen deaths in York County in the first 19 days of November are believed to be the result of heroin or fentanyl overdoses, with four coming over this past weekend alone.

This is more than twice the rate of such overdoses seen in the area in September and October.

The spike prompted a stark warning Monday from the York County Coroner's Office "with the hope that it will save lives, especially over this holiday season."

The spate of recent deaths should not be blamed on a "bad batch" of heroin, according to the warning. Breaking into all caps for this section, the warning stresses, "... there is absolutely NO GOOD BATCH of heroin/fentanyl – ANY AMOUNT, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL, CAN AND WILL KILL THE USER, NO MATTER THE SUPPOSED TOLERANCE OF THE USER."

It notes that cocaine users should know that heroin and/or fentanyl has been detected in the blood tests of "known cocaine users in our area."

The office advises people who know addicts to:

Stay engaged and as close to them as possible.

Equip yourself with Naloxone.

Call York Adams Drug and Alcohol Commission at 1-866-769-7822 for assistance

Call Not One More at 717-424-8890 or 717-850-6350 for further assistance and family support.

Coroner Pam Gay wasn't expecting overdose numbers to increase near Thanksgiving but said her office does worry about substance abuse ticking upward.

"I think during the holidays people tend to celebrate," Gay said. "I don't think people realize that when they're using other substances ... that can trigger a response or somebody in recovery, it can trigger them to use."

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The cause of death in such cases is not confirmed until toxicology tests are complete.

There were six suspected cases in the first three weeks of September and seven in October.

Almost all drug deaths in York County tend to be attributed to heroin and fentanyl.

So far this year, only 9 of 115 confirmed drug deaths, about 8 percent, were from something other than an opioid, Gay said.

There have been 91 confirmed heroin-related deaths this year with another 32 suspected, Gay said. That vastly exceeds the 76 heroin-related deaths in York County last year and equals the total drug deaths for all of last year.

Message out in hopes of saving lives

Of particular concern, Gay said of the recent uptick, is people dying while in treatment, part of a recovery community or thought to be clean.

"It's not unusual for a family member or even a parole officer or a recovery house owner to tell us, 'Hey, I just tested him and it was negative,'" Gay said.

Her office has been hearing about what she calls "false negatives," or a urine drug screening coming back negative for someone who might actively be using fentanyl.

Read: 4 death scenarios show why York Co. needs a morgue (column)

"Sadly, later toxicology testing done by the Coroner's Office during autopsy has shown fentanyl ..., which confirms that the individual was actually using at the time of their death," the coroner's news release states.

Fentanyl is an opioid similar to heroin but far more powerful.

"I wanted people to be more cautious," Gay said. "The user figures out ways to get around the system. As much as you want to be trusting and believe in your loved one, you have to be on the lookout for the things they're doing."