Fentanyl overdose deaths on the rise in Yakima County over the last two years

YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash.- The Yakima Valley and the rest of the country has been trying to figure out the best way to handle the opioid crisis over the last few years.

But now, fentanyl deaths are on the rise in the valley at an alarming rate.

“You can see that fentanyl is on an upswing in the last two years,” County coroner Jim Curtice said.

From 2014 to 2016, Department of Health numbers show Yakima County averaged around one overdose death a year to synthetic drugs; which includes fentanyl.

Which was right in between the averages for Kittitas and Benton county.

But in the last two years alone, Yakima County has seen 22 deaths from fentanyl.

Yakima county coroner Jim Curtice said those overdoses usually come from it getting mixed into the drugs people use.

Causing a deadly mix. Since fentanyl is fifty times stronger than heroin.

“They’ll use their normal dose their using on a daily basis and then, unfortunately, they’ll get hold of some that has fentanyl added to it and they overdose,” he said.

To battle the problem, Curtis said there’s been a statewide emphasis to equip first responders with Narcan.

Which reverses the effects of an overdose and can save that person’s life.

Curtice said it’s not only for the person that is overdosing, but the officers or paramedics who are exposed to the drug when trying to help someone.

“Three to four to six minutes can make a difference between life or death or quality of life,” he said.

So far, there’s been one confirmed fentanyl death in Yakima county this year with other cases still pending results from toxicology reports.