Since Saturday, the King County Medical Examiner’s Office (KCMEO) has identified seven likely overdose deaths from heroin, possibly due to an increased potency of the drug or mixture with other substances.

This is a notable and rapid rise in deaths, as King County saw 32 heroin overdose deaths in total over the first six months of 2011.

Because of this sudden increase in deaths, health officials are issuing a public alert about the overdose danger. We are working with partners to analyze the heroin and identify possible reasons for the sudden increase in deaths.If someone is with a person who is overdosing on heroin, they can help by immediately calling 911.

The Washington state Good Samaritan law took effect in 2010 and provides immunity from criminal charges of drug possession for both the witness and the person experiencing the overdose. The new law also expands access to Narcan (generic name naloxone), an opiate antagonist that reverses the effect of overdose from heroin and other opiates.

For more information on the Good Samaritan law, see http://stopoverdose.org/index.htmlPublic Health is also working with community partners to alert members of the public who use heroin that there appears to be an increased risk of death from using heroin currently being sold.

More at www.kingcounty.gov/health