Mystery opioid linked to dozens of overdoses, 4 deaths in Georgia

Dozens of individuals in central and southwest Georgia were hospitalized for opioid overdoses over the span of 48 hours, according to a Tuesday release from the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Four of the cases were fatal, though toxicology reports have yet to confirm the cause of death, according to CNN. Macon officials said the overdosed individuals ingested yellow pills sold on the street as Percocet, according to the report.

Sheriff David Davis of Bibb County suspects "someone has developed this particular pill ... and is passing it off as a prescription medicine," according to CNN. "The individuals that are involved in the drug trade, this may be their newest product … We need to know who's putting this poison into the community right now."

New deadly synthetic opioid combinations have been cropping up across the United States. One such opioid concoction known as "grey death" — a substance that resembles concrete in appearance — has been linked to a number of overdoses in Georgia, according to CNN.

More articles on opioids: 
20% of weight-loss surgery patients still on opioids 7 years after surgery 
New York county sees 22 opioid overdoses in 48 hours 
Arizona governor declares state of emergency over opioid crisis

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