WILMINGTON — A rash of drug overdoses has taken place in and around Wilmington recently, especially today (Tuesday).

Police scanner traffic Tuesday morning and afternoon indicated at least four overdose calls, beginning with a report of an overdose at Brownberry apartments, followed shortly by a report that a second person had overdosed at that location.

A source told the News Journal there have been at least eight overdoses today.

The Clinton County Health District received an alert late this afternoon of a “Suspected Drug Overdose Anomaly in Clinton County” over a 24-hour period from Epicenter, a state database that monitors hospital ER visits.

Health Commissioner Pamela Walker-Bauer said local EMS today requested additional Narcan, a medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses.

Wilmington Police Chief Ron Cravens told the News Journal Tuesday evening that there has been an uptick in overdoses and suspicious activity in the past few days.

Those authorities and others are working to gather more information, including if there is a “bad batch” of heroin in the area and/or if fentanyl is behind the overdoses.

We will add additional information when it becomes available.