Opioid Overdoses, Deaths Spike In McHenry County: Health Officials

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — The McHenry County Department of Health is warning McHenry County residents of a significant increase of overdoses and deaths likely caused by opioids.

On March 13, the McHenry County Substance Abuse Coalition issued an alert that local law enforcement was reporting overdoses that required high quantities of the life-saving opioid reversal medication naloxone, according to a news release from the health department.

The alert also reported an increase of probable opioid-related deaths that occurred from March 5 to 14. Since then, fatal and non-fatal overdoses have remained at higher-than-normal levels in McHenry County, health officials said Friday.

The suspected deaths have not been confirmed as opioid-related at this time, but most overdose deaths in McHenry County occur because of opioids and are often caused by fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid, according to the SAC, according to the news release.

Fentanyl is becoming more common in illicit drugs, even laced with other drugs like cocaine or methamphetamine. It is one of the most lethal forms of opioids, according to the health department.

MCDH and its partners want everyone to remain safe and ensure they have the supplies they need. Fentanyl test strips, which can be used detect fentanyl in all type of drugs, can help prevent an overdose while naloxone can help reverse an overdose.

Fentanyl test strips and Narcan are available for free at the following locations:

• MCDH’s locations in Crystal Lake, 100 N. Virginia Street, and Woodstock, 2200 N. Seminary Ave. No identifying information is needed, and supplies are available Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, please call (815) 334-4500 and ask to speak to someone about Narcan.
• Live4Lali offers supplies online or by calling or texting them at (224) 297-4393.
• Warp Corps offers supplies from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday-Sunday at 114. N. Benton Street, Woodstock, or by calling (815) 575-9358.
• The Break offers supplies by calling (815)575-9358.

For support and navigation to treatment, please contact A Way Out by calling (815) 347-0385 or emailing [email protected].