The local health unit's surveillance and monitoring system has issued a warning about opioid overdoses.
The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) identified an unusual rise in opioid-related emergency department visits and ambulance calls between September 8 and September 14.
During these seven days, there were ten opioid overdoses combined at Windsor Regional Hospital and Erie Shores Healthcare. Nine of them involved fentanyl and the tenth heroin. Two non-overdose opioid-related visits to the emergency room were also recorded during that week.
In addition, between September 12 and 14, there were eight EMS overdose notifications received.
WECOSS said this week's figures were historically higher than observed during the two-year and five-year averages of Week 37 of the calendar year.
The health unit, both involved hospitals, Essex-Windsor-EMS, Windsor police, and Ontario Provincial Police continue to monitor this increase.
