Overdose Surge: 12 Killed In 2 Days In Cuyahoga County

CLEVELAND — At least 12 people died of overdoses over the weekend in Cuyahoga County.

On Monday morning, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner Dr. Thomas Gilson issued a public health alert. He wants Cuyahoga County residents to know that something is driving an uptick in deadly overdoses.

“This recent trend of clustered overdoses is alarming. There were an additional four on Thursday of last week. It remains to be seen what the cause is, but the public should be aware that there is a serious threat to their lives if they are using street drugs right now in Cuyahoga County,” Gilson warned.

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Gilson's team is already conducting testing to determine which drug, or drugs, are driving the surge in overdoses. At the current rate, Cuyahoga County could see at least 700 overdose deaths in 2021.

Here's a profile of the weekend's overdose victims:

• 48-year-old Cleveland woman
• 46-year-old Cleveland man
• 46-year-old Cleveland man
• 47-year-old Euclid man
• 38-year-old Cleveland woman
• 43-year-old Cleveland woman
• 62-year-old Cleveland woman
• 60-year-old Cleveland man
• 48-year-old Cleveland woman
• 78-year-old Cleveland man
• 27-year-old Garfield Heights woman
• 43-year-old Cleveland woman

If you or someone you know is using or recovering from an opioid addiction, you can contact Project DAWN for help. Eligible participants are given free Naloxone kits, the opioid reversing antidote.

Additionally, the Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board of Cuyahoga County provides a 24-hour crisis hotline at 216-623-6888.