The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy has issued an opioid alert.
The alert has been issued due to an increasing number of opioid-related emergency department visits and substance use-related emergency medical service calls between March 28 and April 3.
During the seven-day period, nine opioid overdoses were reported by local hospital, six involving the use of fentanyl while three involved cases of non-overdose fentanyl use.
During the same seven-day period, 14 substance use-related EMS calls were received, above the average of 10.5 per week so far for 2022.
Partners involved in the WECOSS, including the WECHU, Windsor Regional Hospital, Essex Windsor EMS, Erie Shores Healthcare, and Police Services, continue to monitor this increase and are working to understand more about these reported cases.