Philadelphia sees spike in nonfatal drug overdoses

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Health officials are reporting a significant spike in nonfatal drug overdoses or adverse reactions in Philadelphia.

Health Commissioner Tom Farley tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that the cluster was the largest he has seen in two years as head of the city's health department.
Farley says seven people died of apparent overdoses between Friday night and Sunday morning, which is about the typical overdose death rate.
But officials say nonfatal apparent overdoses were unusually high, sending about 100 people to emergency rooms over 24 hours.
Farley says it's unclear whether the substance responsible was heroin, fentanyl or something else. Health officials are still waiting for results of tests of bags found in the hands of arriving patients.
In December 2016, 35 people died in a rash of overdoses over five days.
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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com