Narcan Saves 5 Inmates After Opioid Overdose

Five inmates at the Butte County Jail in Oroville were hospitalized after apparently suffering opioid overdoses this past weekend. A deputy in an observation tower first noticed an unresponsive inmate in a medium-security unit late Saturday night.

Upon responding, deputies and medical personnel identified four other inmates in the same pod showing symptoms consistent with an opioid overdose. All five individuals were administered two doses of naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, to counteract the overdose effects.

Following treatment with Narcan, all five inmates were transported to nearby hospitals for further medical evaluation. They were subsequently cleared and returned to the jail. The sheriff's office indicated that the substance may have originated from another inmate recently booked into the facility.

This inmate has been separated from the general population as the investigation continues. The sheriff's office highlighted that even with physical searches and X-ray body scanners, tiny amounts of synthetic opioids like fentanyl can be difficult to detect. The exact circumstances of how the substance entered the jail remain under investigation.