Overdose alert issued for Windsor-Essex
18 emergency department visits due to opioids in a week
The public health unit in Windsor-Essex is warning of a recent increase hospital in visits due to use of opioids.
During the week that started on June 21, there were 18 emergency department visits related to substances, including three fentanyl overdoses.
Most of the other visits, which were not classified as overdoses, also involved fentanyl, with one related to heroin.
"Additionally, on a single day (June 27), there were a total of eight substance use-related [emergency department] visits flagged by the system, four of which were overdoses, alongside 15 EMS calls received between June 24 and June 27," the warning from the Windsor-Essex Community Overdose and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) issued Saturday states.
Dr. Wajid Ahmed, medical officer of health for Windsor and Essex County, has previously said that the pandemic has impacted those with substance use and mental health problems more severely.
The region saw a record 348 overdoses last year, and 64 people died.
The public health unit is looking to set up a supervised consumption site and recently had sought public feedback on two potential locations in downtown Windsor.