Chatham-Kent police say three people suffered fatal overdoses in a 48 hour period this week, and they suspect the overdoses were caused by fentanyl.
Chatham-Kent Public Health reported 22 overdose deaths in the first 10 months of last year. That's up from the 15 drug-related deaths reported in all of 2020.
Four drug-related deaths were reported in September 2021 and six opioid-related deaths were confirmed between January and May of last year.
Chatham-Kent Public Health Epidemiologist Laura Zettler said calls for local ambulances and emergency department visits related to suspected opioid overdoses continued to be relatively high through September, although they were lower than earlier in the summer.
Her opioid report in October, the last month of available data, showed 17 suspected opioid overdose-related calls to Chatham-Kent EMS in September and 123 in the first nine months of 2021. Zettler also reported six non-opioid drug overdose-related calls to local paramedics in September and 112 until the end of October 2021.
Zettler also said the local rate of emergency department visits exceeds provincial levels (117 versus 80 per 100,000). She reported there were 14 opioid overdose-related visits to the emergency department by residents in September and 125 until October.
"If you, or someone you know, uses drugs, it is vital to carry naloxone," said police. "The Chatham-Kent Police, along with CK EMS, and Chatham-Kent Public Health would like community members to be aware of the risks associated with drug use."
The health unit in Chatham-Kent said 27 naloxone kits were distributed in September and a total of 303 were handed in the first 10 months of 2021. Local pharmacies also gave out 345 naloxone kits in the first 10 months of last year.
Naloxone is a drug that can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose.
The national overdose prevention hotline is available 24 hours a day at 1-888-688-6677.
More information about opioid use in Chatham-Kent can be found here.
