In a span of just five days, 14 people have died from fatal overdoses, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.
Out of the 14 people who died from Aug. 2 through Aug. 6, 50 percent of them are 60 or older. It's a change from the largest population of overdose victims, which typically ranges between the ages of 45-55 years old.
The location of the overdoses is split between east side and west side, indicating this isn't affecting a centralized location.
The youngest person to overdose was 21 years old. The oldest one was 72 years old, according to the medical examiner.
Total drug overdose deaths in 2018 are projected to match 727 people who died in 2017 from fatal overdoses.
“This is a concerning trend. The county is working with our local and federal partners to analyze it and identify its source,” said Dr. Thomas Gilson, Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner.
