Police in Cumberland County reported six fatal drug overdoses that happened in less than two months.

The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said Monday that the overdoses occurred in the Lakes Region between December 1st and January 24th. Five of them occurred in just the last three weeks. Four happened in the town of Standish.

That’s a 600% increase in deadly overdoses compared to the same time last year.

In that same period, police responded to 11 overdose calls where the person survived after receiving medical assistance, and arrested and charged 28 people with various drug charges.

The sheriff’s office calls the increase in deaths “alarming” in a statement released Monday:

“We cannot continue to watch our friends and relatives struggle with addiction, endanger themselves, and continue to use substances which can potentially lead to an overdose or their death. Substances not prescribed by a doctor do not have recommended doses and there is no quality control. The person ingesting the drug has no way to validate the actual content of the substance. If you know of someone struggling with a substance use disorder, please encourage them to reach out for assistance or contact a medical professional.”