PROVIDENCE – The Rhode Island Department of Health has issued an overdose spike alert for Providence because of an increase in non-fatal opioid overdoses.
From July 18 to Wednesday, there were 22 reports of people in Providence receiving emergency department or medical services care for suspected overdoses, the Health Department said.
The Health Department issues alerts to notify the community when overdoses surpass certain thresholds. Mobile outreach teams are also sent to the affected areas to distribute harm reduction and overdose prevention resources such as naloxone and fentanyl test strips.
Last year, 404 people died in Rhode Island from accidental overdoses . That represented a 7% decrease from 2022 and was the first time in four years that the number fell. Opioids and fentanyl are still driving the overdose epidemic in Rhode Island, the Health Department said in releasing the 2023 numbers. In 2023, 85% of overdoses involved any opioid, including fentanyl, while 78% involved fentanyl.
The city has a fatal overdose rate 1.5 to 2 times greater than the statewide average, according to the Health Department.
More: RI overdoses dropped in 2023, but, 'We have a lot more work to do'
More: Hundreds of Rhode Islanders died of overdoses last year. Here's a look at the numbers.
How can you help fight overdoses?
According to the Health Department, here's how you can help:
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Overdose Alert: RI issues warning for overdose spike in Providence
Most Popular
Comments / 0