There were 1,531 fatal drug overdose deaths in Connecticut in 2021 and New London County continued to lead the state in the overdose death rate, the state Department of Public Health reports.

The overall number of deaths in the state showed an 11.4% increase from 2020 and a 27.7% increase from 2019, a stark reminder that the opioid epidemic has not subsided. Ninety-three percent of the 2021 accidental overdose deaths involved an opioid such as fentanyl, heroin or a prescription opioid pain reliever.

On Wednesday, the New London County CARES team has scheduled a series of events as part of International Overdose Awareness Day. The event will feature handouts of kits containing the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan, at a variety of pop-up events across the region.

The event is an effort to encourage people to take part in effort to save lives and a recognition of the numerous people impacted by the epidemic, said Jennifer Muggeo, Deputy Director for Ledge Light Health District and Project Director for NLC CARES.

“People who have not been directly impacted by the epidemic can take a minute to learn about how overdoses are impacting our community. We all have a role in responding to this public health crisis,” Muggeo said.

Kelly Thompson, CEO of Alliance for Living and co-chair of the Overdose Action Team, said in a statement said that bringing these events to locations throughout the region will help start a dialogue in both public and private spaces.

“We need to change the conversation about drug use and overdose,” Thompson said. “We are here to support both public officials and family members in understanding what science tells us about substance use and health and how we can best support people we care about.”

New London County CARES is a collaboration between Ledge Light Health District, Alliance for Living and the City of New London and provides support and services throughout the region.

Muggeo said the number of overdoses and overdose deaths continues to rise and there needs to be a sustained effort to educate people about the problem.

Fentanyl, data shows, is a contributing factor in the majority of the opioid overdose deaths. The state Department of Public Health reports that from Jan. 1 through the first week of July there have already been 664 confirmed fatal overdoses in Connecticut with 84.6% of the cases involving fentanyl and 28.5% of the cases involving xylazine.

Xylazine is an animal tranquilizer that Muggeo said is not an opioid but has been showing up more often in overdoses cases. The appearance of the drug complicates the medical response since naloxone is not effective in helping to revive a patient that has overdosed on Xylazine.

In addition to the overall increase, the state DPH reports that in 2021, the drug overdose death rate substantially increased in the non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic populations compared to previous years.

Muggeo said that statistic “is not surprising” and mirrors the disparities that have arisen during other public health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the need for equity in healthcare.

New London Fire Chief Thomas Curcio said the calls for overdoses in New London appear to come in waves.

In New London, where all firefighters are trained emergency medical technicians, Curcio said every piece of apparatus at the department, including staff vehicles, carries naloxone. Calls for an overdose bring not only firefighter/EMTs but paramedics from Lawrence + Memorial Hospital.

Those spikes in calls, sometimes related to a batch of drugs with higher level of fentanyl, also elicit a response by the city’s recovery navigators who develop relationships with people struggling with drug addiction. The four navigators spread information, educate people about what’s happening and direct people to services, Carol Jones, director of harm reduction at Alliance for Living, said.

“You can’t underscore the importance of navigators and everyone working in the community,” Jones said .

NLC CARES will announce on Wednesday that Old Lyme is partnering with Old Lyme Ambulance Company to distribute kits containing CPR masks and naloxone to leave behind at the scene of the overdose. In New London, NLC CARES will be introducing a program to install weatherproof outdoor boxes at several locations to provide 24-7 access to naloxone kits.

G.smith@theday.com

The Overdose Action Team/NLC Cares Team schedule of events for Wednesday to observe International Overdose Awareness Day:

9:45 a.m. – Community Health Center, Inc, Shaw’s Cove, New London

11 a.m. – Old Lyme Town Hall, 52 Lyme St., Old Lyme

12:30 p.m. – Waterford Community Center, 24 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford

1:30 p.m. – Groton Library/Thrive55+ Lot, Newtown Road, Groton

2:30 p.m. – Stonington Human Services, 166 South Broad St,, Pawcatuck

4 p.m. – Williams Park, Broad St., New London

5:30 p.m. – Ledyard Farmers’ Market, 740 Colonel Ledyard Highway, Ledyard

7 p.m. – Wheeler Library, 101 Main St., North Stonington

In Stonington, Ledge Light Health District has partnered with the Stonington Prevention Council to provide the following events:

9- 9:30 a.m.: Narcan Virtual Training. Open to the public, no registration, follow the link at www.stonington-ct.gov.

2:30 p.m. - 3 p.m.: Ledge Light Health District Community Outreach distributes fentanyl test strips and Narcan at the Stonington Human Services Department.

7:15 p.m.: Vigil at the Stonington Town Dock. Stonington Police Chief Jay DelGrosso and Rev. Ruth Shilling Hainsworth will say a few words in remembrance of those lost to overdoses. The Mystic Highland Pipe Band will be perform "Going Home” and “Amazing Grace”