Dakota County officials warn of fentanyl in drug supply after spike in black overdoses

Officials in Dakota County are warning residents of a possible increase in fentanyl in the drug supply after an uptick in overdoses.

On Friday, the Dakota County Drug Task Force issued a warning about an increase in both fatal and non-fatal overdoses in the area since mid-February.

This increase could be linked to the presence of fentanyl in other drugs, especially in powder cocaine, according to the task force. It may also be present in crack cocaine and methamphetamine.

The task force encouraged residents to know the signs of an opioid overdose, including:

Loss of consciousness
Being unresponsive to outside stimulus
Fingernails and lips turning blue or purple/black
Slow, erratic or absent pulse
Slow and shallow, erratic, or no breathing
For lighter-skinned people, skin tone turns blue/purple
For darker-skinned people, skin tone turns gray or ashen
Choking sounds or snore-like gurgling noise
Vomiting
Limp body
The task force also emphasized the importance of fentanyl test strips and carrying naloxone, which can reverse an opioid overdose. 

https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/dakota-county-officials-warn-of-fentanyl-in-drug-supply-after-spike-in-overdoses