The Grey Bruce Health Unit has issued its third Opioid Alert this month, after receiving reports of five drug overdoses in the area within a five-day period.
Four of the five individuals were unresponsive when first responders arrived. Three of the individuals required life-sustaining measures. None of the overdoses were fatal and none of the individuals had to be hospitalized.
Naloxone was administered in four of the five incidents.
Public Health also issued an Opioid Alert on Aug. 12 after four overdoses (non-fatal) were reported within a 24-hour period and on Aug. 4 after six overdoses (non-fatal) were reported within a four-day period.
GBHU urges people who use drugs to do so as safely as possible by following basic Harm Reduction strategies, such as:
- Avoiding using alone.
- When using with someone else, avoid using at the same time;
- Call the OVERDOSE PREVENTION LINE at 1-888-688-6677 (NORS) if you must use alone;
- Avoiding mixing different drugs;
- Going slow;
- Knowing your tolerance;
- Getting overdose prevention training and carrying a Naloxone kit.
