Rise In Fentanyl Overdoses In Santa Clara Co. Among Homeless: DA

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA — The number of deaths among people experiencing homelessness this summer in Santa Clara County is more than double than they were last summer, a rise that is being driven by drug overdoses involving fentanyl, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

Seven people experiencing homelessness in San Jose have died from fatal overdoses from methamphetamine containing fentanyl over the past three weeks. Between July 9 and August 9, 36 people experiencing homelessness have died in Santa Clara County, compared to 16 deaths last year during the same time period.

“COVID is not the only health crisis we are facing in Santa Clara County, and Delta is not the only deadly variant,” District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a news release. “We are committed to work alongside advocates and addicts, police and parents, to stop these overdoses and save lives.”

The number of fentanyl-related deaths in Santa Clara County rose dramatically last year, from 27 deaths in 2019 to 88 in 2020. This year, there have been 44 confirmed deaths thus far, a number “that is certain to rise,” according to the district attorney’s office.

Fentanyl was a factor in the suspected cause of death in the following recent incidents, according to the district attorney's office:

• May 21: White powder containing fentanyl, death in Mountain View
• July 18: Cocaine containing fentanyl, double overdose in a Sunnyvale hotel
• July 22: Powdered fentanyl, death of an inmate at the Elmwood Correctional Facility
• July 26: Powdered fentanyl, death in a Santa Clara hotel
• August 3: Fentanyl in an unknown form, death of a juvenile in Morgan Hill

Other people have recently survived fentanyl overdoses after ingesting what they thought was methamphetamine, according to the district attorney’s office.