MORE DUBLIN HEROIN DEATHS

ANOTHER two heroin deaths in Ireland were yesterday linked by health
officials to a similar spate of fatalities in Glasgow.

The new cases in Dublin took the number of deaths to seven, with a
further seven people struck down by a mystery illness among heroin
addicts.

The extra instances of the illnesses came after health officials
reviewed medical and other details of heroin users admitted to
hospitals in and around Dublin since May 1.

Irish police are attempting to establish if three of the victims, Ms
Rosie Lakes, 21, Ms Maureen Gleeson, 33, and Mr Karl O'Shea, 29,
attended the same party in Dublin's Crumlin district last Monday. The
other victims' names have not yet been released.

A statement by Ireland's Eastern Regional Health Authority said:
"These 14 cases appear to meet the case definition of the recent
Glasgow cluster of heroin deaths."

The illness has claimed the lives of 11 heroin addicts in and around
Glasgow, and is still being investigated by Greater Glasgow Health
Board.

A spokeswoman said yesterday: "We are investigating if there is any
link between the Dublin and Glasgow cases."

No new cases have emerged in Glasgow since May 19, when the number of
those affected rose to 25, and experts hope the problem is starting to
recede.

Mr Andrew Horne, of the Glasgow drugs charity Turning Point, said:
"Historically, drugs seem to arrive into the Republic of Ireland, then
to Liverpool, and north to Glasgow. These deaths could tell us
something about the supply routes."