OD spike continues at London's temporary overdose prevention site

There have been 10 opiate overdoses in the last eight days, including one Friday afternoon, at London's Temporary Overdose Prevention Site (TOPS) as a stronger form of fentanylpotentially circulatesin the city.

That number is a significant spike compared to the eight overdoses that occurred in the first six months of the site's operation, Middlesex-London Health Unit officials said.

"Over the last few weeks, we have observed a sustained increase in the number of opioidpoisonings being seen in local emergency departments," saidAlex Summers, theMiddlesex-LondonHealth Unit's associate medical officer of health.

"When you combine that with the reports we're receiving from TOPS, you can't help but ask whether there is a new and highly dangerous variant of drugs in our community," he added.

Thenumbers are well above the average, Summers said, since monitoring of overdoses and injuries related to the opioid crisis started.

The health unit is crediting the existence of the overdose prevention site, where users can come and take drugs under medical supervision, for saving the lives of those who overdosed.

Officials remind people that Naloxonekits, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose, are available at the health unit, the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection and at pharmacies across the province.

Health Canada says there were 3,987 opioid-related deaths in the country, up from 2,458 in 2016.