News

Fentanyl Still Number One Cause of N.H. Fatal Overdoses

12/15/2016

Dec. 14--CONCORD -- The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is projecting that 476 people will die this year from drug overdoses in New Hampshire -- and the vast majority of them will be because of fentanyl.

As of Dec. 12, 369 people have died from drug overdoses; another 78 cases are "pending toxicology."

According to Kim Fallon, chief forensic investigator at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, it can take two to three months to receive toxicology results and for a pathologist to review them and determine the cause of death.

Fentanyl was found in 269 of the 369 deaths, or 72 percent. Of those, 153 people died from fentanyl alone; 99 died from a mix of fentanyl and other drugs. Seventeen died from a mix of heroin and fentanyl. Only two people died from heroin alone, while another three died from heroin and other drugs.

In Manchester, 89 people died from suspected drug overdoses through Dec. 9. Last year, there were 106 deaths in the city.

Firefighters so far this year have responded to 738 overdose calls and administered naloxone (Narcan) 534 times. Twelve percent of the calls resulted in death. Twenty-one times, Narcan was found at the scene.

The youngest victim in Manchester was 22 and the oldest, 57. Overdoses took place in city hotels, public buildings, restaurants and parked vehicles. Twenty times, people overdosed while driving. Two occurred on Manchester School District property.

The fire department's "Safe Station," which helps people suffering from substance abuse get into treatment and recovery, has resulted in 974 people seeking help since the program began May 4.

Of those seen, 71 were taken to hospitals; 347 were taken to HOPE for NH; 456 were taken to Serenity Place. Those seeking help ranged in age from 18 to 70, with 203 repeat patients.

A total of 310 were from Manchester. Residents of other New Hampshire cities and towns were also seen, including 37 from Nashua; 17 from Concord; 16 from Salem; 14 from Laconia; 14 from Rochester; 12 from Derry; 11 from Hooksett; 11 from Londonderry; and 10 from Somersworth.

Another 29 were from out-of-state: 21 from Massachusetts; six from Maine; and one each from Connecticut and Alabama.

In Keene, through Dec. 5, six people have died as a result of opiate overdoses, according to Fire Chief Mark Howard. Firefighters tended to 81 overdose patients since the first of the year, administering 166 doses of Narcan.

pgrossmith@unionleader.com