DUNBAR TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Since last Thursday, nine people have overdosed on heroin in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, authorities told Channel 11 News Monday.
Police said they’re also investigating two deaths but do not know if they’re heroin-related until toxicology results come back in four to six weeks.
Channel 11’s Cara Sapida learned that an overdose in Connellsville, may be related to the same “bad batch” that’s been affecting Dunbar Township.
“Any heroin is a bad batch. It's all a bad batch. What we know as a batch, even if it's a first time user, (is the) first time is last time,” Fayette County EMS Assistant Chief Jason Hayes said.
According to the Fayette County coroner, first responders found most of the overdose victims were almost dead, but revived them with Narcan.
Hayes told Channel 11 that they use Narcan more than any other drug on the ambulance.
“Narcan reversal narcotics, double what we use (more than) any other drug,” Hayes said.
In 2014, nearly 2,500 Pennsylvanians died from a drug overdose. Now, it is the leading cause of accidental death in the state.
Gov. Tom Wolf proposed that $34 million be allocated to help fight the opioid crisis, plus $18 million in matching federal funds. If approved, the money would pay for 50 Centers of Excellence and treat more than 11,000 people who are currently unable to access treatment.
Fayette County officials asked Channel 11 not to release the name of the so-called “bad batch” because they say too often users seek it out.