Sacramento County fentanyl overdoses now at 48

The number of overdoses linked to the potent painkiller fentanyl has grown over the past two days to 48, nearly two weeks after the first reports of such overdoses began popping up in the Sacramento region, the Sacramento County Department of Health and Human Services reported Wednesday. No additional deaths have been reported, leaving the region’s fentanyl-linked death toll at 10.

“Obviously, it’s a relief to hear there have been no additional deaths (due to fentanyl),” said Laura McCasland, spokeswoman for the county health department.

The first patients with fentanyl-suspected overdoses began appearing in local hospital emergency rooms on March 23. McCasland said those brought into hospitals so far range in age from 16 to 67 and are evenly split between men and women. Nine of the fentanyl-linked deaths occurred in Sacramento County, with one in Yolo County.

“We are continuing to monitor hospitals and are asking them to report any cases that are suspected of being fentanyl-related overdoses,” McCasland said.

This story was originally published April 6, 2016 at 12:13 PM with the headline "Sacramento County fentanyl overdoses now at 48."