Since the start of the year, 81 suspected drug-related deaths have occurred in Hamilton County, according to data from the Hamilton County Health Department. Thus far, 68% of those deaths have involved fentanyl.
Since toxicology reports for suspected drug-related deaths can take several weeks to process, the number is likely to change as data is confirmed over time, according to Dawn Ford, the epidemiology department manager.
According to epidemiologist Megan Sloan, who responded via email, the epidemiology department monitors drug overdose trends using a variety of factors, including overdose deaths, overdose-related emergency room visits and naloxone administration data.
“Like the surveillance of other types of health data, tracking these numbers is useful to understand the impact of the overdose epidemic on our community, detect any spikes or abnormal activity, and help inform resource allocation as needed,” Sloan said.