In tracking overdoses during the month of August, the Oneida County Overdose Response Team (ORT) is reporting a continued uptick in overdoses tracked through its Overdose Detection and Mapping Application Program, according to a statement released this week.

Data findings included:

• The Overdose Response Team issued a spike alert on Aug. 26, which featured four overdoses in a 24-hour period, one of which was fatal. At that point, five overdose deaths were reported to have occurred last month. 
• A recent medical examiner’s report now shows that there were 11 probable overdose deaths in August. However, overdose data is preliminary until the cause of death is confirmed by the medical examiner’s office.
• Toxicology reports confirming the substances involved in the overdose deaths are still pending, however, the ORT suspects that it is the ongoing issue with fentanyl in the drug supply.  There also continues to be reports of fentanyl powders and pills that come in a variety of bright colors, which is likely driving up recent overdoses and overdose deaths in the county.
• The majority of the deaths occurred in Utica and Rome, with others occurring in Marcy and Kirkland.

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The ORT is also calling attention to a national trend identified by the National Institutes of Health, which has detected an increase in opioid overdose deaths among Black Americans (See: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/opioid-overdose-deaths-rise-among-black-americans).

 “In Oneida County, five of the 11 probable overdose deaths in August were black and year-to-date, 11 of the 59 overdose fatalities have been black,” a statement from the county notes.