Manchester officials warn of spike in fatal overdoses

Paul Feely, The New Hampshire Union Leader, Manchester
·3 min read

Feb. 7—Manchester health officials say the Queen City is experiencing a spike in overdose deaths, with police responding to seven suspected drug-related fatalities in a 48-hour window.

Of those fatalities, three were homeless individuals, three were housed and one was found in a hotel, according to Andrew Warner, the city's new Director of Overdose Prevention.

News of the spike comes as Catholic Medical Center (CMC), the state-contracted provider of The Doorway of Greater Manchester, announced it is partnering with Easterseals NH Farnum to offer the Extended Doorway — allowing individuals seeking immediate substance use treatment to access care after hours and over the weekend.

CMC's Extended Doorway is open at Farnum from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday, 5 p.m. Friday through 8 a.m. Monday and on holidays.

Services can be accessed by calling Farnum directly at 603-622-3020, visiting Farnum's 140 Queen City Ave. location, or calling the state's 2-1-1 number.

"As the Extended Doorway for Catholic Medical Center, we are able to catch people at the peak of their motivation to get help," Annette Escalante, Farnum Senior Vice President said in a statement. "They're not having second thoughts because it's 2 a.m. on a Friday and there's no one to call. They can access care right when they need it. We'll pick up the phone and answer the door. We're here to help."

Both Manchester and Nashua experienced jumps in the total number of opioid-related deaths in 2022, statistics released last month by American Medical Response (AMR) show.

AMR crews responded to 701 suspected opioid overdoses in Manchester last year, a 22% increase over 2021. There were 79 opioid-related deaths in the Queen City, a 41% increase from the prior year.

In Nashua, AMR data show a 15% decrease in suspected opioid overdoses in 2022, while the number of deaths increased by 37%.

While the cause of the recent spike in fatal overdoses is unknown, the Department of Safety recently issued a warning about xylazine, an animal sedative detected in a number of overdose deaths.

Xylazine can be added to illicit drugs, and people take it unknowingly. Narcan has no impact on the drug, meaning giving Narcan to someone who has overdosed on drugs laced with xylazine likely won't revive them.

Manchester is one of 20 communities nationally selected by the CDC and the National Association of City and County Health Officials to implement overdose prevention strategies targeted at reducing overdose spikes and fatalities.

Manchester police have activated a daily overdose monitoring system as part of this effort, along with the use of hot spotting maps to focus collaborative efforts in specific areas of concern in the city.

"Multiple multidisciplinary outreach teams, including first responders, are out in the community on a daily basis connecting to those who are most at risk and in need of support," Warner said in a news release.

City health officials and community providers offer the following tips:

—If you are actively using substances in the Manchester area, know that there is a potentially fatal product in circulation;

—Never use alone;

—Harm reduction resources such as fentanyl test strips and Narcan are widely available. Anyone in need of these supplies should contact Andrew Warner, Director of Overdose Prevention at 603-657-0826 or awarner@manchesternh.gov;

—If you suspect an overdose, call 911 immediately;

—Individuals seeking immediate substance use treatment services for themselves, patients, or loved ones can now access care in Manchester after hours and throughout the weekend by calling the Doorway of Greater Manchester, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 603-606-1090 or by calling 2-1-1.