A tainted supply of heroin and/or cocaine has caused at least sixteen overdoses, three of them fatal within the past few days. Many victims have told detectives that they thought they were buying cocaine said David Hartman, police spokesman. Authorities are have warned users that it is not known how far the product has been sold across the state.

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The suspected deadly drug that happens to be causing fatal overdoses in New Haven, CT is heroin, the powerful opioid fentanyl and something else that is unknown that has casued havoc to patients’ lungs according to Dr. Gail D’Onofrio, chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine. Many victims that survived are on artificial respiration due to very low oxygen levels, D’Onofrio said. Tests are being done to determine what substances are involved.

Governor Dannel Malloy pledged to offer New Haven whatever support it needed. He ordered 700 doses of the opioid overdose reversing drug Narcan, the brand name of Naloxone be released to city from the state Department of Public Health.

“This is a very dangerous situation and one that we are taking seriously. Everyone must recognize that no region of the country, state, city or town is immune – this affects all of us and so many families across our state and nation.”

Malloy said in a statement.

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Source: Patch