Dane County health officials are warning residents about a fresh spike in drug overdoses, and they say the drugs circulating locally may not be what people think they are. Public Health Madison & Dane County issued the alert as of Tuesday, pointing to unusual patterns first responders have observed in recent overdose calls.
According to Public Health Madison & Dane County, the agency tracks hospital and ambulance data specifically to catch unexpected increases in drug-involved overdoses, and that monitoring is what flagged the current spike. The county issued the public health alert over the surge, though as WTMJ reported, officials say the official reason behind this particular increase remains unknown. First responders have observed symptoms of opioid overdose among patients during recent calls, which could indicate that the makeup of street drugs in the area has changed.
Additives Showing Up Across Multiple Drug Types
Public health officials say very strong additives are being mixed into a wide range of substances, not just one drug category. The agency's guidance warns that heroin, cocaine, counterfeit or fake prescription pills, and methamphetamine could all be affected by these additives, and a change in the local drug supply may be what's driving the spike. That warning echoes a similar explanation from the county's harm reduction materials, which note that supply changes are a known trigger for sudden surges in overdose activity.
Officials are urging anyone who uses drugs to test them for fentanyl and xylazine before use, and to avoid using street drugs alone. People concerned about an overdose are advised to call 911 immediately. The county also recommends learning the signs of an overdose, including pale or clammy skin, blue lips or fingertips, slow or irregular breathing, and difficulty waking someone up, and officials are encouraging residents to carry naloxone.
Not the First Alert This Year
This is not the first overdose alert Dane County has issued recently. Back in July, the county's Public Health department issued a similar warning after first responders reported at least seven suspected opioid-involved overdoses over just two days, June 29 and 30, in an alert that attributed the surge in part to extreme heat. A separate alert from September 2025, reported by WKOW, came after EMS responded to five confirmed overdose calls in a single 24-hour span; at that time, officials called the surge unusual for the community and said the cause was currently unknown.
The pattern isn't unique to Dane County. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services previously issued a public health alert for Milwaukee County following a spike in suspected drug overdose activity, according to Spectrum News 1. That outlet also reported that fentanyl overdose deaths statewide grew by 97%, from 651 in 2019 to 1,280 in 2021, according to provisional state data, underscoring how sharply the state's overdose landscape has shifted in recent years.
Where to Get Help
People who use drugs are being urged not to go it alone. For those who do use, the county points to the Never Use Alone line as a resource for anyone using street drugs by themselves. The Behavioral Health Resource Center of Dane County provides treatment and recovery resources for residents seeking help, and can be reached at 608-267-2244.
