Yolo County Reports Second Fentanyl-Related Death
WOODLAND (CBS13) – Another person in our region has died as a result of taking a counterfeit pain pill.
The latest incident happened in Yolo County, a county health official reports.
A total of 53 overdose cases, including the deaths, are being investigated. Those who were poisoned reportedly ingested Norco pills that were contaminated by the chemical fentanyl, a synthetic opiate. Fentanyl can speed up a user's high, but according to the Department of Public Health, it's deadly.
"It is dangerous and can potentially be deadly to take pills purchased off of the street or provided by a friend or family member," said Yolo County Public Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman, MD, MPH. "If you think someone has overdosed, call 911 immediately."
The synthetic opiate is reported to be 80 times a strong as morphine, and hundreds of times more potent than heroin.
Including this latest death, 11 people in Sacramento County and two in Yolo County, have died from suspected fentanyl overdoses.
Law enforcement officials are working to determine whether the drug is being distributed by a lone supplier, or by several dealers.