Durham police respond to ‘unusually high level’ of drug overdoses

Durham Regional Police say emergency crews have responded to an “unusually high level” of drug overdoses in recent days.

Police said they responded to 11 overdoses, including one fatality, in Durham Region in the span of 36 hours.

Police said many of the overdoses involved cocaine, heroin or fentanyl. Officers said some appeared to involve a mix of fentanyl and another drug.

Emergency crews were first called to a residence in the area of Altona and Kingston roads Thursday afternoon where a 50-year-old man and 35-year-old woman were found unconscious, officers said.

“Evidence of cocaine use, possibly mixed with fentanyl, was located at the scene,” police said in a news release Saturday.

Officers said the man and woman were taken to hospital where they were stabilized.

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Police said they also responded to the area of Simcoe and Bruce streets Thursday afternoon for reports of two males without vital signs after using heroin. Officers said someone used Narcan before emergency crews arrived, but a 41-year-old man died at the scene. The second victim was taken to hospital in stable condition.

“The timely use of Narcan in many instances probably saved multiple lives,” police noted.

Officers warned against the use of illegal drugs and improper use of medication.