Medical examiner: 7 probable overdose deaths over the weekend in Milwaukee County

MILWAUKEE -- It was a deadly weekend, as the opioid overdose epidemic continues to impact SE Wisconsin.

Officials with the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office tweeted Monday, August 7th that they were completing 10 autopsies, and seven of the victims died as a result of probable overdoses.

Two months ago, in early June, the medical examiner in Milwaukee was dealing with 12 probable overdose deaths within just 72 hours.

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And it was just last week, on Wednesday, August 2nd, that officials with the Kenosha County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Kenosha County Division of Health issued a warning about opioid and opiate use after a string of 10 suspected overdose deaths in Kenosha County over the past month.

All of these deaths are awaiting confirmatory toxicology results, with final results expected in three to four months. All of these pending cases involve the suspected use of opioids/opiates. Opioid drugs include Percocet, Vicodin, oxycodone and fentanyl, while opiates include heroin, morphine and codeine.

In 2016, Kenosha County had 54 confirmed deaths due to toxicity. Six of those deaths were due to fentanyl or a fentanyl analog.
To date in 2017 in Kenosha County, there have been 25 confirmed deaths due to toxicity. Eight of these deaths are due to fentanyl or a fentanyl analog.

Treatment/Resources in Kenosha County