Fentanyl helping fuel recent rise in Central Oregon drug overdoses, public health officials warn

Task force urges actions by community partners, prevention steps

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Central Oregon Overdose Crisis Response Task Force and the region's Public Health Overdose Team, an initiative involving Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties, reported Monday it has identified a recent increase in overdoses, one fatal, and outlined steps being taken in response, while urging others to act as well.

Since Sept. 15, officials said, there have been about 15 confirmed and unconfirmed non-fatal overdoses in the Central Oregon region, with one confirmed death.

The reported overdoses have involved heroin, methamphetamines, counterfeit pills and several other substances that have yet to be identified, many of which likely contain fentanyl, a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine.

What are Central Oregon health departments doing in response?

• Coordinating with first responders and community partners to monitor and prevent additional overdoses.
• Updating websites, social media, and other communications to increase awareness.

Actions for community partners:

• Please immediately share harm reduction messaging with your clients [e.g., "We have heard about a possible increase in overdoses. [When using, please go slow and make sure you are around others. If you have access to Narcan, make sure everyone knows where it is and how to use it.”].
• Ask clients if they have any information [e.g., “Have you seen an increase in overdoses? Any idea what might be causing it?”].
• Do not add information to community messages that is not confirmed by county health officials.  Be careful to not give information that can give people who use drugs (both licit and illicit) a false sense of security, increasing risk of morbidity and mortality.

Prevention:

The Central Oregon Public Health Overdose Team is issuing a warning to people who use drugs to take additional precautions.  People who choose to use pills outside of a care plan developed with a health care provider, or who use other substances [e.g., heroin and/or methamphetamine] should take steps to reduce the risk of an overdose.  Steps you can take to reduce an overdose are:

• Avoid any pills that are not prescribed by a medical provider.
• Be extremely cautious when using more than one substance at the same time, it is highly likely there is fentanyl in most drugs purchased on the street or over the internet.
• Don’t use alone – If you are going to use by yourself, call (800) 484-3731, NeverUseAlone.com. You will be asked for your first name, location, and the number you are calling from. An operator will stay on the line with you while you use. If you stop responding after using, the operator will notify emergency services of an "unresponsive person" at your location.
• Carry naloxone, also known as the nasal spray Narcan, the only medication that can reverse an opioid overdose.   You can obtain free Naloxone from most pharmacies throughout Central Oregon without a prescription.
• Carry fentanyl test strips and test all newly purchased substances before first use.
• Where can you obtain free test strips from harm reduction services?
  • Crook County Public Health Department located at 375 NW Beaver Street, Suite 100, Prineville, Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • Deschutes County Public Health Department at https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/syringe-exchange-program
  • Jefferson County Public Health Department at 541-475-4456