Health officials issue 2nd opioid overdose alert this month
Eight overdoses reported within a seven-day period
For the second time this month, health officials in Windsor-Essex are sounding the alarm over the number of opioid overdoses in the community.
The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) issued an alert Thursday following an uptick in overdoses from Dec. 15 to 21.
WECOSS says that between those dates, eight overdoses were reported, six of which involved the powerful opioid fentanyl. WECOSS says that exceeds the five-year average for overdoses within those dates.
In addition, 13 EMS calls related to substance use were made during that week, according to WECOSS.
"Together, the eight opioid overdoses combined with the thirteen substance-use related EMS calls are values that warrant a public alert," WECOSS said in its alert.
WECOSS — a partnership between public health, police, hospitals and other groups — has issued 11 alerts on overdoses in the last year.
Most recently, the group said that 11 opioid overdoses were reported between Dec. 5 and Dec. 11.
Last year, 86 people lost their lives to opioid overdoses in Windsor-Essex.