Charles Kiessling, BSN, RN, Lycoming County coroner, told PennLive.com he suspects the overdoses are linked to heroin cut with a mixture of substances that could include the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl, which is 50 to 10 times more potent than morphine. On Thursday, a man was found dead in his Williamsport apartment of an apparent drug overdose. The toxicology report is pending, according to PennLive.com.
“Over the past 48 hours UPMC Susquehanna emergency and pre-hospital services departments have treated a total of 51 patients with heroin overdoses,” the hospitalsaid in the statement. “We believe the situation is stabilizing in our facilities. We will provide updates as they are available and appropriate.”
Heroin laced with extremely potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl and carfentanil, which is 100 times more potent than fentanyl, have been linked to a rash of overdoses in states like Ohio and Florida.
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