WINNIPEG — Police have confirmed a 9-month-old infant was exposed to the deadly drug, carfentanil in his Winnipeg home.
On Oct. 21, police found the infant in critical condition in a house on Aikens Street in the North End, and rushed him to hospital. Police also found residue of what they suspect was the powerful opioid fentanyl in the home.
On Thursday, police confirmed test results showed the drug was carfentanil.
“We do not know if the child injested it or was just exposed,” Const. Jason Michalyshen from the Winnipeg Police Service said.
“It could have been air born… residue on a toy… or by human contact. What we do know carfentanil was in the home and the child went into respiratory distress,” he said.
WATCH: Const. Jason Michalyshen from the Winnipeg Police Service calls the carfentanil a wake up call for the community
READ MORE: Infant has suspected fentanyl exposure, Winnipeg police charge mother and father
After the child was rushed to hospital, emergency crews gave the boy an opioid antidote, Naloxone and immediately his condition improved. The infant’s condition has since been upgraded to stable.
“This is a wake up call for our entire community,” Michalyshen said. “The conversation needs to be had that the drug is in our community and cannot ignore it.”
“It’s a scary situation for everyone involved,” he said.
WATCH: Police charge mother and father of infant found with suspected drug exposure
When officers searched the house, they found up to a half an ounce of loose suspected fentanyl powder and 10 ounces of bagged suspected fentanyl powder in the house. They charged the mother and father with failure to provide the necessities of life, cause of bodily harm by criminal negligence and possession of a substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Police said the child safe and in care.
WATCH: Carfentanil hits the streets of Winnipeg
What is carfentanil?
It’s heroin laced with elephant tranquilizers, and 100 times more potent than fentanyl.
“Carfentanil is intended for large-animal use only as its extreme potency makes it inappropriate for use in humans,” the National Library of Medicine explains in its compound summary for the drug.
It looks like table salt, but just a few granules is enough to trigger a fatal overdose, health officials say.
Frontline emergency responders have to wear gloves and masks to protect themselves from accidentally ingesting even miniscule amounts of the substance.
It looks like table salt, but just a few granules is enough to trigger a fatal overdose, DEA spokesman Russ Baer told TIME.
Frontline emergency responders have to wear gloves and masks to protect themselves from accidentally ingesting even miniscule amounts of the substance.
With files from Carmen Chai