Carfentanil suspected in North Bay overdose

The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit suspects North Bay's first carfentanil overdose after a patient was brought into the city hospital experiencing "unfamiliar effects" after injecting what the patient believed was cocaine.

Though the person did not have any initial signs of distress, they quickly had difficulty breathing and became unconscious, the health unit stated in a press release.

Very large doses of naloxone, which is used to reverse the effects of opiods,were successfully administered, the Health Unit said.

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Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jim Chiricois cautioning the public to reduce the risk of overdose.

"We are warning the public that there is a lethal street drug circulating locally. It is behaving like carfentanil but has yet to be confirmed," Chirico said.

"The public needs to be aware that carfentanil cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste, and even the smallest amount, as little as 20 micrograms of the substance, can be lethal."

Carfentanil is 100 times more toxic than fentanyl and 10,000 times more toxic than morphine, the health unit said.

The health unit is working with the North Bay Police Service, the North Bay Regional Health Centre, and the AIDS Committee of North Bay and Area to address this issue.

North Bay PoliceChief Shawn Devine said both addicts and recreational drug users are at risk of overdose.

"In the illegal drug trade, fentanyl, in powder form, is often mixed into other drugs like cocaine, heroin, ecstasy and oxycodone," Devine said.

"Because you can't smell it, taste it or see it, many have died without even being aware that they were taking fentanyl."

Devine is asking the public to call police if they have any information about the drugs.

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