Vancouver Police issue warning after spike of overdoses in DTES

A warning has been issued by police and health care providers after reports of 11 overdoses in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside on Monday.

"The specific cause of the overdoses has yet to be determined [but] thesuspected drug appears to be purple in colour and overdoses may be as a result of the consumption of fentanyl," said Vancouver Police Sgt.RandyFincham in a statement.

None of the overdoses were fatal.

Fentanyl isa synthetic narcotic that has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of people in British Columbia this year alone.

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Police are reminding the public that if they see anyone they believe has taken illicit drugs alsoexhibiting signs of a fentanyl overdose which include severe sleepiness, slow heartbeat, trouble breathingor snoring, clammy skin, and trouble with walking or talking to call 9-1-1 immediately.