Jul 8, 2016 2 min read

Just eight days into July, the Washington County 911 dispatch center received 13 reports of suspected heroin overdoses throughout Washington County.

“There has been an uptick,” said Washington County District Attorney Gene Vittone on Friday. “I think this has been the worst month (for overdoses) since February.”

Police in the Washington area said they were called to several this week, including one that may have led to the death of a Canton Township man.

Michael D. Wallace, 42, died Wednesday in Washington Hospital after being transported there from a home on Berthel Avenue.

Washington police Chief Robert Wilson said there were multiple overdoses since Tuesday night.

City police were called to an apartment at 600 Beech St. Thursday for a reported overdose. A 29-year-old Washington woman was found unconscious on a couch and barely breathing. Emergency medical personnel administered Narcan and revived her. Police siad they found eight empty stamp bags of suspected heroin, two needles and a pill bottle containing two different types of pills.

North Franklin Township police Chief Rob Fox said his department responded to three or four suspected overdoses. Police said they only found stamp bags at only one of the overdose locations so they have not been able to tell if the heroin came from the same source. Fox said none died and all were given Narcan.

Vittone said many people are being saved through use of the emergency antidote for opioid overdoses, of which his office has supplied numerous police and fire departments.

“We’re still sticking with our original plan of incarcerating dealers who are benefitting financially from this and getting addicts into treatment,” Vittone said. “We keep doing what we’re doing. It’s been a challenge.”