5 people in hospital after reported drug overdoses at Coquitlam house party

Five people were rushed to hospital after what police say appears to be multiple drug overdoses at a house party in Coquitlam Sunday night.

Emergency crews rushed to the home in the 800-block of MacIntosh Street, near Como Lake Avenue, at about 10:45 p.m.

RCMP say five people suffering from overdoses were taken to Royal Columbian Hospital where they remain in stable condition.

Officers seized multiple items from the home to send for drug testing.

Investigators say it is unclear whether this is yet another fentanyl-related incident.

Last week, Health Canada approved the lifesaving drug naloxone in the form of a nasal spray that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

“The number of opioid overdoses in Canada is nothing short of a public health crisis,” federal Health Minister Jane Philpott said in a statement. “First responders, police and family members need immediate access to formats of naloxone that are easy to use so that needless deaths can be prevented.”