Windsor-Essex public health issues 3rd overdose alert in less than a month

For the third time in less thana month, public health officialsarewarning of a high number of overdoses and emergency room visits related to opioids.

TheWindsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU),which has an overdose surveillance and monitoring system, said there were 10 fentanyl overdoses identified between Sept. 27 and Oct. 3.

"Historically, the number of overdoses reported during this period are significantly high when compared to our two-year and five-year averages. Based on the information available, a public alert is strongly warranted," WECHU said in a media release on Tuesday.

Nine of the overdoses were reported at Windsor Regional Hospital while one was recorded at Erie Shores HealthCare in Leamington.

There have been 12 alerts related to drugsissued in Windsor-Essex in 2021.

"This year we've seen more opioid overdoses than any other year in the recent past and that is cause for concern," WECHU CEO Nicole Dupuistold reporters on Wednesday.

She said that work is being done at the health unit and through other health-care agenciesto tackle the issue, includingefforts to establisha supervised consumption and treatment site downtown.

Dr. Shanker Nesathurai, acting medical officer of health, said many fatal overdoses happen in the home. He encouraged people to acquire a naloxone kit, which can reverse the effects of an overdose.

Public health has issued anopioid alert for the third time since last month. Ten overdoses were reported between Sept. 8 and 14, and there weredozen between Sept. 14 and 20.

Nearly all of the overdoses involved fentanyl.

In 2020, a record348 overdoses were recorded in Windsor-Essex, and 64 people lost their lives.

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