A spike in suspected drug poisonings has prompted another alert for the Peterborough, Ont., area.
According to Peterborough Public Health, a “high number” of drug poisonings occurred in the city and county on Wednesday.
Specific details were not provided.
The suspected drug poisonings were reported to 911 first responders, emergency department staff at the Peterborough Regional Health Centre and by service providers in the community.
“At this time, we are unable to link one specific substance as the cause of the poisonings,” the health unit stated. “Therefore, all community members are asked to be careful when using drugs.”
A month ago, the health unit reported the animal tranquilizer xylazine had been found in street drugs circulating in the area.
Drug poisoning data
The health unit’s regional opioid harms portal reports from Jan. 1 to April 30, 2023, there were 26 suspected drug-related deaths. Data for May is not yet available. The data encompasses the health unit’s jurisdiction of Peterborough, Peterborough County, Hiawatha First Nation and Curve Lake First Nation.
There were 59 suspected fatal drug poisonings for 2022 — approximately one person every seven days.
So far in 2023, there have been 138 emergency department visits for drug poisonings (May data not included). In 2022, there were 539 emergency department visits.
As for 911 calls due to drug poisonings, there were 24 in April, on par with March and down from 33 in February and 26 in January. From May 2022 to April 2023, there were 339 calls for service. Of the calls for service, 61 per cent involved men. Sixty-four per cent of calls involved people between the ages of 25 to 44.
Of the 339 calls for service, 17.1 per cent saw a paramedic apply naloxone to help counter the effects of opioid poisoning.
Precautions
The health unit says anyone who uses drugs, or knows someone who does, should take the following precautions:
- Don’t use drugs alone — visit the Consumption Treatment Services site at 220 Simcoe St. (open 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily).
- Test a small amount of the drug before you use it.
- Avoid mixing drugs or sharing drugs.
- Avoid using damaged or modified pipes/needles.
- If you are alone, call the National Overdose Response Service (NORS) virtual safe consumption at 1-888-668-NORS (6677), or call a friend.
- Ensure that emergency services can be contacted in the event of an overdose.
- Keep a naloxone kit on hand. You can get a kit at most pharmacies and needle exchange sites. To find out how to access naloxone visit peterboroughpublichealth.ca and search for “opioids” or find the Accessing Naloxone pdf.
Use the health unit’s Drug Reporting Tool to anonymously report overdose incidents and harms in the community. Under Canada’s Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, anyone who seeks medical help for themselves or for someone else who has overdosed will not be charged for possessing or using drugs for personal use.
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