More than 20 overdose on Chicago’s West Side

He also did not know what drug caused the overdoses.

Almost 75 people overdosed on tainted heroin in 72 hours, mostly on the city’s West Side.

“We are working closely to ensure that area hospitals are tracking individuals affected and are maintaining a necessary stock of medication supplies – including Narcan”, stated Cristina Villareal from the Chicago Department of Public Health.

According to Chicago officials, the number of heroin overdoses is steadily rising in the state. One individual died from the overdose.

Paramedics and fire department now carry extra doses of an “antidote” drug that can reverse heroin overdoses. However, the standard single dose treatment of Narcan is not having effect on the patients. Thursday alone, paramedics handled 18 heroin overdose calls on the West Side. The agency issued a national alert about the problem in March. According to officials, hospitals and drug stores are not reporting a loss or theft of the painkiller.

A few believe it’s being manufactured at drug labs shipped up from Mexico. “But we’re noticing we were giving more in the emergency department to these patients”, Dr. Hedayati said.