SEATTLE, WA - King County health officials are warning local drug users to be cautious after a sudden spike in overdoses this week. Seven people overdosed in North Seattle on Thursday, but health officials don't know what drug was behind the overdoses.

Some overdose victims reported using injected heroin, but others may have snorted pills containing fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that can be up to 100 times more powerful than heroin. "[S]even overdoses in a limited time period could indicate a particularly strong and lethal batch of drugs that the users were not suspecting," King County health officer Dr. Jeff Duchin said in a press release. "It's important to have naloxone on hand if you are using drugs."



Six of the seven people who overdosed on Thursday went to the hospital. There were no deaths. In January 2017, a lethal batch of heroin killed three people in Seattle. A fourth overdose victim was treated at Harborview Medical Center. Some local emergency responders - Seattle police, King County Medic One EMTs- carry naloxone.



Drug users should carry an anti-overdose drug like naloxone, health officials say. They are also reminding drug users that they can call 911 for an overdose without fear of being arrested for drug possession. If you need drug treatment, contact the Washington Recovery Hotline for resources at 1-866-789-1511.