Maryland public health officials say three people have died of apparent overdoses of the potent synthetic opioid carfentanil.
The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said in a statement Friday evening that one of the overdoses was in Frederick County, the other two in Anne Arundel County.
RELATED: 3 deaths tied to synthetic opioid in Maryland
Carfentanil (kahr-FEHN'-tuh-nihl), which is used to tranquilize elephants and other large animals, burst into the North American drug supply last summer. It is considered 100 times more potent than fentanyl and 10,000 times more powerful than morphine.
A spokesman for the department declined to release any further details about the deaths, including when they occurred.
Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency last month over the opioid crisis.
