Officials warn of a potent batch of heroin fentanyl in Sauk County

A spike in overdoses has Sauk County officials on edge and the community jumping in to help. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, at least four people overdosed on a single day in Sauk County. Public Health of Sauk County said the spike occurred on December 4, 2022. Often hidden and easily disguised, officials say fentanyl kills people daily. Experts with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration said fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Public health data shows between 2020 and 2021 Sauk County saw 36 overdose deaths. Fentanyl was a factor in 29 of them.