CRANSTON – Five Ocean State communities saw a sudden increase in overdoses in early March, the R.I. Department of Health said in a public health announcement.
Last week, the health department issued an overdose spike alert due to a marked increase in non-fatal overdoses in Burrillville, Cranston, Foster, Glocester and Scituate from March 2-8.
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The department issued the alert under the Overdose Spike Alert System, which rolled out in January. The new system replaces the department’s Integrated Surveillance System and broadens substances tracked.
Spike alerts can include overdoses caused by opioids, stimulants, benzodiazepines and other substances. Because of this expanded range, the department says, the new system will show higher rates of overdoses compared to the old system.
In the recent notice, RIDOH warned that any type of illicit substance could be laced with fentanyl, a highly potent opioid that can cause overdoses even in trace amounts.
Fentanyl “continues to dominate the drug supply and impact overdoses,” the health department said in the alert, and has been detected in stimulants such as cocaine, crack cocaine and counterfeit pills.
“Stimulants could be contaminated with fentanyl and put people who use stimulants at risk of an opioid overdose,” the alert continued, “especially those who do not regularly consume opioids and have a lower opioid tolerance.”
Every city and town in Rhode Island has at some point seen an overdose, RIDOH said in the announcement.
The alert included links to resources that help residents, municipal leaders and health care professionals recognize and respond to overdoses.
Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.
