AUSTIN, Texas — Authorities across Austin continue to investigate "the largest opioid overdose outbreak" they've seen in years.
Officials with the Austin Police Department (APD) and Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) said calls started Monday morning about an overdose outbreak in the downtown area.
In an update Tuesday afternoon, officials reported four confirmed deaths and another four possible in more than 51 suspected overdose cases. On Wednesday afternoon, the number of suspected overdoses had climbed to 67, with no additional deaths reported.
Officials said the numbers could continue to rise as they receive more toxicology reports.
Initially, officials said the calls started between Sixth and Eighth streets, but the situation escalated to all parts of Austin.
Most patients responded well after they were given Narcan, a treatment for narcotic overdoses. Officials said the calls were from different types of drugs and affected multiple populations. Though it's not clear at this time the exact substance that is causing the overdoses, officials believe it is some kind of opioid.
ACTEMS said it usually sees two or three overdose calls per day, but on Monday, there was a 1,000% increase in call volume. Officials said the city hasn't seen overdoses of this magnitude since 2015 when K2 hit the community.
"It is apparent that there is a deadly batch of illicit narcotics in our community," officials said. "Our intent at the Austin Police Department is to find those persons responsible and hold them accountable."
APD said those impacted by the overdoses have ranged in age from 20s to 50s and across all ethnicities. Some of the people have been unhoused, while others have been housed, and some were at their workplace while others were in public spaces.
According to APD, two people have been detained so far, leading to an arrest for felon in possession of a firearm. But further investigation would be needed for additional charges.
ATCEMS said the four people who died have not all been identified, but their ages ranged from mid-30s to mid-50s.
A state dashboard shows that Travis County had the highest proportion of fentanyl-related deaths by population in 2023. The county had about 14 fentanyl-related deaths per 100,000 people in the county. No other county came close to that number, according to the Texas Health Fentanyl Trends dashboard.