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On Thursday, the Institute of Forensic Sciences (ICF, as abbreviated in Spanish), which serves as the island’s medical examiner’s office, disclosed that recent toxicology analyses have indicated that fentanyl was present in the bloodstream of the majority of overdose victims in Arecibo.
María Conte Miller, Executive Director of ICF, stated that most of the 10 overdose fatalities recorded in Arecibo over the last few days tested positive for fentanyl alongside other substances.
“A dedicated work plan was executed between Monday and Tuesday to address these incidents and validate the initial tests performed during the autopsy, as these were multiple overdose fatalities occurring within a single municipality or area,” Conte Miller noted in a written communication.
The leading forensics authority on the island mentioned that six victims had fentanyl in combination with cocaine; two were found to have fentanyl mixed with xylazine; one was positive for fentanyl, cocaine, and xylazine; and just one victim tested positive solely for cocaine.
These fatalities highlight the extensive contamination of cocaine with fentanyl and related substances. Fentanyl, a Schedule II opioid analgesic, is roughly 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Consequently, it poses a significant overdose risk and can be deadly within the 2-milligram range.
Federal authorities are also probing into the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
