ST. CLOUD — One person died and eight others overdosed from narcotic use in the St. Cloud area in the previous 24-hour period, officials said Friday.
The Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, an entity combining leadership from St. Cloud area police departments and sheriff's offices, said Friday that the overdose cases are believed to be from fentanyl mixed with other narcotics.
Agencies across the state have seen recent upticks in opioid use and overdose-related calls for service. Authorities say the rise in overdoses is attributed in part to the growing availability of the synthetic painkiller fentanyl, which is 50 times more powerful than heroin and can be lethal to non-opioid users in doses as small as 2 milligrams.
The Minnesota Department of Health recently created an online tool allowing Minnesotans to locate providers of naloxone, a drug that can revive a person who is overdosing.
The task force is investigating the cases and is asking anyone with information to contact 320-345-4238.
