Austin, Texas officials are currently investigating a concerning “outbreak” of fatal drug overdoses that is rapidly spreading throughout the city.
According to local ABC News affiliate KVUE, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services (ATCEMS) and the Austin Police Department (APD) have reported a total of 51 calls for suspected overdoses as of Tuesday afternoon. Tragically, four deaths are believed to be related to this surge in overdoses.
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According to KVUE, the Austin Police Department (APD) has reported that overdose patients span various age groups, ranging from their 20s to their 50s, and come from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, the individuals who succumbed to overdoses have not been identified, but their ages range from the mid-30s to the mid-50s.
According to Angela Carr, EMS division chief at ATCEMS, the influx of calls started at 9:00 a.m. CT on Monday morning. Initially, the calls were mainly concentrated in the downtown area. However, as time went on, calls started pouring in from various parts of the city, including residential areas, businesses, and public spaces accessible to everyone.
A team was dispatched to the area promptly upon receiving the report, with the primary objective of providing immediate assistance. Narcan rescue kits, containing a nasal spray formulation, were promptly distributed to address the situation. It is worth noting that Narcan’s active ingredient, naloxone, effectively restores breathing in the event of an opioid overdose.
Dr. Heidi Abraham, the deputy medical director for ATCEMS, revealed that the number of overdose calls on Monday was significantly higher than usual. Typically, ATCEMS receives only two or three overdose calls per day. However, the volume of calls on Monday represented a staggering 1,000% increase in call volume.
During the press conference, she emphasized that the current wave of overdoses is strikingly lethal. She further stated that such a high number of overdoses has not been witnessed in several years.
Abraham mentioned that the patients who experienced an overdose had mentioned using various types of drugs, although he did not provide further details about the specific drugs involved.
According to Christa Steadman, the public information officer for ATCEMS, authorities believe that the recent surge in cases can be attributed to a new batch of a substance circulating in the area. It is likely that this new batch originates from the same source or a couple of sources, as the symptoms reported by patients are remarkably similar.
Officials have stated that they will keep the public informed with regular updates as new information becomes available.
In 2022, there was a significant increase in the number of drug overdose deaths among Americans. According to the provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were nearly 108,000 drug overdose deaths, which is about 1% higher than the recorded 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for effective measures to address the drug overdose crisis.
Texas is currently experiencing its highest rate of drug poisoning-related deaths since at least 2011, with 15.4 deaths per 100,000 individuals in 2022, according to provisional data from the Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS).
In 2022, Travis County witnessed a significant number of provisional drug overdose deaths, ranking fifth highest among all counties. This devastating toll primarily affected the white population, with 308 lives lost.
States have previously expressed concerns about the role of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, in the rise of overdoses and overdose fatalities.
According to preliminary data from TDSHS, Travis County reportedly had 188 deaths related to fentanyl poisoning, making it the second-highest number of such deaths, following Harris County, which is where Houston is situated.
