Grey Bruce Public Health has issued an alert due to an “alarming spike” in recent drug poisonings following multiple overdoses.
A news release issued by public health Monday states 14 overdoses, including one fatal, have been recorded in Grey Bruce over the past three days. Officials say 10 of the overdoses occurred in Owen Sound.
Officials say fentanyl is suspected to be involved in nearly all of the overdoses. There have been reports of people believing they were taking cocaine or meth, but unknowingly took fentanyl.
Naloxone was successfully used as an intervention in nine of the non-fatal overdoses.
“We are deeply concerned about the high number of drug poisonings that took place over the weekend,” GBPH physician consultant, Dr. Rim Zayed, said in the release.
“This is a drug toxicity issue, whereby people are using drugs that have been unknowingly cut or mixed with fentanyl or other toxic substances. We’re seeing evidence of an increasingly toxic drug supply across the country; an issue that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. All unregulated street drugs should be deemed highly toxic and potentially fatal. Some of the substances that can be mixed with unregulated street drugs do not respond to the life-saving effects of Naloxone.”
Zayed is reminding those who use drugs to exercise the “utmost caution” in determining ingredients, dosage and source of drug they are using — it is a potentially life or death issue.
Officials say in response to recent drug poisonings, public health and its partners have been undertaking outreach efforts in locations of concern to identify risk factors and help educate people who use drugs, as well as their loved ones about the toxicity of local supply and harm reduction strategies.
