City officials are reporting a spike in overdoses in New Haven and the greater New Haven region.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said the area has been experiencing a spike in overdoses in the last several days.
Officials believe the overdoses are from heroin laced with fentanyl. As of now, there are no fatalities.
“The increase in overdoses is deeply concerning, and we are tracking it closely. Substance Use Disorder is impacting many in our community. Please look out for each other and seek support if you need it," Elicker said.
This spike comes nearly two years after a massive overdose incident, where 116 overdoses occurred within a 36-hour period, predominantly on the New Haven Green in August 2018. Following this event, the city put together a task force to address drug dependence and also began using technology to track overdoses. Officials say it is that technology, OD Maps, that helped them track the hot spots on Saturday, which was primarily in the Fair Haven neighborhood.
Officials say they are monitoring the situation closely.
In Elicker's campaign last year, he vowed to treat drug addiction more as a health issue than as a criminal one.
If someone you know experiences an overdose, you're urged to call 911 immediately.
