Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Guards, Nurses And Inmates At Ohio Jail Treated For Drug Exposure Following Possible Overdose By Prisoner
The Associated Press: Heroin-Fentanyl Mix Led To Drug Exposure Concerns At Prison
A substance that led to nearly 30 people at an Ohio prison being treated for drug exposure or suspected exposure was a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, the State Highway Patrol said. Prison guards, nurses and inmates at Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe were treated Wednesday with the anti-overdose drug naloxone after an inmate showed signs of a drug overdose, and some people experienced symptoms consistent with exposure to the opioid fentanyl. Medical officials said symptoms such as nausea, sweating and drowsiness were reported. (Cornwell, 8/30)
The Washington Post: Fentanyl Exposure Sickened Ohio Prison Staff
In Pennsylvania, meanwhile, a statewide prison lockdown was ordered Wednesday after an uptick this month in the number of staff members who have become mildly sick while on duty, corrections spokeswoman Amy Worden said. She said 29 employees at 10 prisons have fallen ill since early August. One of the employees was accidentally exposed to synthetic marijuana, Worden said. Although the causes of the other illnesses are unknown, she said, officials think the staff members might have been exposed to the residue of dangerous substances, including opioids, while handling inmates. (Duggan, 8/30)
