The following is a statement from Department of Public Health (DPH) Commissioner Dr. Raul Pino on actions taken today by the Department to assist the City of New Haven with a recent rash of overdoses and overdose deaths in New Haven caused by a tainted batch of heroin.  DPH today is sending 700 doses of Narcan, a medicine used to reverse the effects of a heroin overdose, to the City of New Haven in response to a City-declared a public health emergency after 15 overdoses linked to a batch of heroin laced with Fentanyl occurred throughout the City yesterday.

“At the Governor’s direction, we are sending 700 doses of Narcan to New Haven for the city’s first responders, DPH’s needle exchange program and other community providers within the city to replenish supplies that have been severely diminished.  DPH will stay in contact with the New Haven Health Director to continue to monitor the situation, so that we can provide whatever additional assistance New Haven may need.”