MINNEAPOLIS — On Thursday the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office issued a warning to the public after responding to 40 recent overdoses.
There have been 34 suspected non-fatal overdoses and six suspected fatal overdoses in Hennepin County in the last week, according to the county sheriff's office.
"If there is a spike in overdose deaths in Hennepin County, it will most likely travel across the state of Minnesota," Hennepin County Public Health Department's Julie Bauch said.
Officials say that if you see someone overdose:
- Call 911
- Move the person to their side
- If the person is unresponsive, administer naloxone (Narcan) every two to three minutes as needed
- If naloxone is administered, the person must be evaluated by EMS even if they regain consciousness
In 2021, there were 340 deaths in Hennepin County attributed to overdose. This is a noticeable increase from 2020, when county records show 273 overdose deaths.
There have been more than 1,000 opioid-related deaths in Hennepin County since 2017. The Minnesota Department of Health shows that 678 people died from opioid-related death in 2020.
Neighboring Ramsey County has seen a similar rise in overdoses recently. In October, St. Paul Police said they had responded to more than 32 non-fatal overdoses.
If you're interested in taking a naloxone training class, the Hennepin County Sheriff's office offers free sessions. The next one is scheduled for Dec. 6 and can be attended virtually or in person. More information about those classes can be found here.
Watch more local news:
Watch the latest local news from the Twin Cities in our YouTube playlist: