WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) – Another epicenter alert has been issued in Trumbull County after more than a dozen additional overdoses happened overnight.

“The anxiety level ramped up,” said Linda Spies, whose son is in recovery.

Last night, 15 people overdosed, bringing the total number to 49 overdoses — including five deaths — since last Friday, September 15.

The Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board said multiple doses of the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone have been required to bring people back.

Since September 1, there have been 145 overdoses and health officials say this month is on track to surpass March’s high of 189 overdoses.

Since the beginning of the year, there have been 964 overdoses in Trumbull County, according to the Mental Health and Recovery Board.

Most of them have occurred in the 44483 (176), 44446 (114), 44485 (112), and 44484 (100) zip codes (numbers as of August 2017).

Trumbull County overdose statistics and trends

Spies’ son, Max, is currently recovering from an addiction.

“You run and text that person, your loved one, to make sure they answer. If they don’t answer, anxiety just ramps up even more,” she said.

Now she’s worried about the ones who aren’t in recovery.

“Do not go out and buy because it’s Russian Roulette. You don’t know what you’re getting and — obviously, the amount of overdoses that we’ve had — it’s bad, bad stuff,” Spies said.

She has two Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided With Naloxone) kits equipped with the antidote and for the first time, gave one to her son.

“If not for the naloxone, more than 850 people would have died in Trumbull County, so for those who say, ‘Why do we keep bringing them back with these Project DAWN kits,’ that’s why,” said April Caraway, with the Mental Health and Recovery Board.

Caraway said they’re seeing more people seeking help since the first epicenter alert was issued earlier this week.

To get a Project DAWN naloxone kit or for more information, call the Trumbull County Combined Health District at 330-675-2590 ext. 3.

For treatment or to be placed into detox, call the Coleman Access Center at 330-392-1100. If it’s after hours, call the Help Network of Northeast Ohio by dialing 211.

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