High Number Of Opioid Overdoses - August 2, 2023

Windsor-Essex County

Date/Time/Approximate Location

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023

Windsor-Essex County

Event Description
(What is Happening?
Who is Affected?)

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s Opioid and Substance Use Notification System has identified an increase in the number of opioid overdose Emergency Department (ED) visits and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls inclusively between July 25th and July 31st of 2023. 

Over this seven-day consecutive period, there were a total of twelve (12) opioid overdose ED visits flagged by the system, nine (9) of which involved fentanyl. These values significantly exceed the two-year historical average for the current week in question, meeting our criteria for a public alert.  

Alongside the ED visits, the system also identified seven (7) consecutive days of suspected opioid overdose EMS calls during the period of July 25th and July 31st, with at least one (1) call received per day. In total, there were seventeen (17) suspected opioid overdose EMS calls recorded over this period.

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.

Suggested Actions

Please share the Alert amongst your networks.  If you are aware of any linkages between these cases or other causes for these increases, please contact the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS USING OPIOIDS, HERE ARE A FEW IMPORTANT SAFETY TIPS:

  • Never use alone.
  • Try a very small amount first – “Start low and go slow.”
  • If you use with a friend, do not use at the exact same time.
  • Avoid mixing substances.
  • Call 9-1-1 immediately if something doesn’t feel right.
  • Have naloxone ready. Know how to respond to and prevent an opioid overdose.
  • Visit SafePoint at 101 Wyandotte Street East to consume in a safe space under medical supervision or to access drug checking services. To learn more, take a virtual tour of SafePoint at www.wecoss.ca/cts.

You can also visit the WECOSS Data Dashboard for additional statistics on opioid and other substance use in Windsor-Essex County.

Source

WECHU (Acute Care Enhanced Surveillance Application - ACES), Essex-Windsor EMS Overdose Notification System, Windsor Police Services