More than 27 people have been hospitalized following a suspected mass overdose incident in West Baltimore on Thursday morning.
Emergency responders arrived around 9:30 a.m. local time to the Penn North area, where multiple individuals were found showing signs of drug overdose.
Patients were discovered along nearby roads, on subway platforms, and in surrounding alleyways. Among those hospitalized, seven were reported to be in critical condition.
Authorities have not yet confirmed what substances may have caused the overdoses. No deaths have been reported at this time.
The affected area was closed off by police and fire services to manage the situation and reroute traffic. Public transport services were also adjusted to avoid the scene.
Officials from the fire department reported that crews responded to multiple calls in quick succession, which led to the discovery of additional affected individuals in the area.
State and local authorities, including Maryland’s governor and Baltimore’s mayor, confirmed that their teams were actively working together to respond to the emergency and provide assistance to those impacted.
The incident comes as the United States continues to face a worsening drug crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose deaths surged by 500% between 1999 and 2022.
The increase has been linked to waves of drug misuse, beginning with prescription opioids, then heroin, and now synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.
Baltimore city officials are urging residents who use drugs to take precautions such as not using alone and keeping naloxone on hand, which can help reduce the impact of an overdose.