Rash of overdoses hits Austin

Austin saw a surge of opioid overdoses this week, with 51 suspected overdoses resulting in four deaths reported between Monday morning and early Tuesday afternoon. City officials called a news conference Tuesday afternoon to address the issue. Austin Police Department is currently investigating the source of the overdoses, which is believed to be a “deadly batch” of opioids that was initially concentrated in the downtown area, later spreading across the city. “We have not experienced overdoses of this volume since 2015, when K2 struck our community,” said Austin-Travis County EMS Assistant Chief Steve White. “We typically average two or three overdose calls per day.” White noted the Austin Fire Department went through its entire stock of Narcan in one day. Narcan is used to reduce the effect of opioids and prevent overdose deaths.

The Travis County Commissioners Court approved a contract on Tuesday with the Texans Connecting Overdose Prevention Efforts (TxCOPE) platform, a data aggregator that is used to predict overdose incidents and track Narcan distribution. Travis County Judge Andy Brown said the tool was used to prepare for this “bad batch” across the region. He also affirmed Integral Care was actively distributing Narcan. “Opioid deaths are completely preventable and everyone in Travis County should be completely aware and prepared to respond to an overdose incident. Everyone should carry Narcan and know how to respond to an overdose,” said Brown. “I carry a dose of it in my computer bag.” Drug overdose death is the No. 1 cause of nonaccidental death in Travis County.

Officials encourage those struggling with substance abuse to seek help, never use alone and to always use drugs accompanied by a sober companion who has Narcan on their person. ATCEMS advises the public at large to be aware of the signs of an overdose: shallow and slow breathing, confusion, small pupils, blue or purple skin, or a loss of consciousness.