Spike alert issued for Metro Richmond region, following increase in overdoses
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The Metro Richmond Spike Alert System issued an alert June 3, indicating an acute spike in opioid overdoses in the Richmond region.
Such an alert is triggered any time overdoses in Henrico, Richmond or Chesterfield exceed the threshold for what is considered a spike in that locality. Each locality has its own system for determining those levels.
The first spike alert was issued May 22, 2022, and the system has issued a handful more since then.
The system is designed only to warn of opioid-related overdoses, which tend to account for the lion’s share of overdoses in most localities. In Henrico, about 75% of all drug overdoses are related to opioids, according to officials.
People are more vulnerable to opioid overdoses if they have had previous overdoses, are using opioids alone or are returning to use after having not used for awhile, according to the RHHD.
Signs of a possible overdose include unresponsiveness, deep snoring or gurgling, grey or blue fingertips and lips, and/or no breathing or abnormal breathing, according to the agency.
Free naloxone, along with training about how to use it, is available from the Henrico Mental Health and Developmental Services by calling (804) 727-8515 and from the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts by calling (804) 592-8069.
The RHHD also offers a free twice-weekly naloxone training through Zoom at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and 1 p.m. on Thursdays. To view one, visit zoom.us/join at one of those times and enter meeting ID 514 839 4896 and passcode I5S2M8.
To sign up for the Metro Richmond Spike Alert system, click here.
