Between Monday and Wednesday alone, Cuyahoga County has experienced 15 fatal overdoses due to heroin, fentanyl, or a combination of both.
On Friday, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Gilson released a statement that said in July there have been 47 deaths, and at least 280 so far in 2016.
The deaths so far have all been attributed to heroin, fentanyl, or a combination of both. Gilson said that while Summit County recently detected carfentanil, it has yet to be found in any of the cases in Cuyahoga County, but "it is yet another deadly development in the drug epidemic facing Cuyahoga County."
Carfentanil is a veterinary narcotic drug that is deemed unsafe for human usage.
The medical examiner estimates that at the current rate, Cuyahoga County could see over 550 deaths in 2016.
