A warning of a rise in recent drug poisonings or overdoses has been issued by Chatham-Kent Public Health.
The health unit is also warning about unexpected reactions to substances in the Chatham-Kent area.
"This serves as an important reminder that the unregulated drug supply is unpredictable and always changing," said public health officials. "Substances may not be what individuals expect, increasing the risk of harm or death."
It's unknown how many overdoses happened over what time frame or if any deaths are linked to the overdoses.
It's also unknown what substances are behind them.
The latest opioid surveillance report released by CK Public Health last month showed seven suspected drug-related deaths from April until June, making it a total of eight so far this year.
It also showed 13 suspected opioid overdose calls to CK EMS in June for a total of 61 so far in 2025 and 11 opioid poisoning visits to the emergency department in June for a total of 47 during the first half of the year.
CK Public Health encourages calling 911 in case of an overdose; administering naloxone if an opioid overdose is suspected, adding it may take more than one dose; not leaving the person unattended; and staying with and assisting the person until paramedics arrive.
The health unit also encourages those who use substances to try to avoid using alone and "fix with a friend"; take turns spotting for each other if using with others; have a safety plan by asking someone to check on you and leaving doors unlocked; start low and go slow; try a test dose first; check drugs with test strips; be aware of your tolerance; try to avoid mixing drugs; know the quality of the drugs being taken; and ask others about what they are experiencing with the current drug supply.
Officials are asking the public to share this warning to help raise awareness and reduce the risk of drug poisonings or overdoses.
Signs of an overdose include not moving or can’t be woken up, slow or no breathing, choking, gurgling or snoring sounds, blue/pale, or grey/ashen skin, lips, and nails, cold or clammy skin, and pinpoint pupils.
Click here to learn more about where you can get a free naloxone kit and how to use it.
Click here to sign up for alerts from Toronto's Drug Checking Service.