GREENSBURG (KDKA) — Westmoreland County has seen a dramatic jump in heroin overdoses.

Last year, the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office reported more than 200 people died from overdosing on heroin.

Officials say there have been 16 more heroin-related deaths since the beginning of 2013.

This week has been especially bad.

“From Tuesday night through Thursday morning, we had six, possibly a seventh, overdose; and at least two of them we’re looking at mostly likely it’s going to be heroin,” said Ken Bacha, the Westmoreland County Coroner.

“Their typically unresponsive, they’re not breathing or breathing very poorly,” Dr. Christopher Clarkson, an emergency physician, said of the patients.

The coroner says one step they plan to take is starting an ARD program targeting people accused of crimes to support drug habits.

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