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30 suspected opioid overdoses in Delaware last weekend

Delaware Public Media

State health officials say 30 people suffered opioid-related overdoses in Delaware last weekend.

Warnings of lethal fentanyl-laced heroin in and around the I-95 corridor came from the Camden, New Jersey Police Department after four overdose deaths there during a short period of time Friday.

Delaware Health officials are now confirming 30 people overdosed in the First State between Friday April, 6 and Monday April, 9.

Delaware Health and Social Services Secretary Dr. Kara Odom Walker says a spike in overdoses in neighboring states often means the same will happen in Delaware.

“We know that it’s very easy for heroin and other drugs to flow to Delaware from our neighboring states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania (and) Maryland. So this is really an important time to pay attention to what’s happening locally,” said Walker.

None of the overdoses over the weekend in Delaware were fatal. But Walker still urges people using opioids to be sure they have access to the overdose antidote naloxone.

“We really want to get out the word that people can have naloxone on hand. They can get it at the local CVS pharmacies and should know how to use it in the case that they are worried about someone close to them being at risk for overdose,” said Walker.

Fentanyl is a synthetic pain killer 50 times more powerful than heroin. It can take multiple doses of naloxone to reverse a fentanyl overdose.

There have been 71 deaths of suspected overdoses in Delaware this year through April 9.

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