Dakota County Sheriff’s Office warns of increased overdoses due to possible fentanyl
The Dakota County Sheriff’s Office is warning people about possible tainted drugs due to a recent increase in overdoses.
Overdoses, both deadly and non-deadly, have been on the rise since mid-February in the county, the Dakota County Drug Task Force says.
The uptick could mean more fentanyl in the local drug supply, specifically powder cocaine, the post states, though also in crack cocaine and methamphetamine.
Authorities say that even recreational drug users are at risk for overdose and death.
Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, can reverse an overdose if administered in time. Fentanyl test strips can also be used to check any drug for the presence of the possibly deadly substance.
RELATED: As fentanyl crisis deepens, test strips alert drug users to the deadly substance
Signs of an opioid overdose include:
- Loss of Consciousness
- Unresponsive to outside stimulus
- Fingernails and lips turn blue or purplish-black
- Pluse is slow, erratic, or absent
- Breathing is very slow and shallow, erratic, or has stopped
- For lighter-skinned people, skin tone turns bluish-purple; for darker-skinned people, it turns gray or ashen
- Choking sounds or snore-like gurgling noise
- Vomiting
- Body is limp
The Minnesota Department of Health offers many resources for opioid prevention HERE.