WINDSOR, ONT. -- There were 10 opioid-related emergency department visits in Windsor-Essex last week, six of those visits were overdoses.

The Windsor-Essex Community Opioid and Substance Strategy (WECOSS) issued a community alert Wednesday after the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s surveillance and monitoring system identified an increase in drug-related overdoses between April 5 through 11.

According to the alert, five of the six overdoses included fentanyl, as did all of the non-overdose visits.

In addition, WECOSS says it received five EMS notifications Tuesday alone, and based on comparisons to pervious years for this week, these numbers are “extremely high,” warranting the alert.

WECOSS partners include WECHU, Windsor Regional Hospital, Essex Windsor-EMS, Erie Shores Healthcare, and local police services.

The alert says the partners are monitoring the increase and are “working to understand more about these reported cases.”

For signs and symptoms of opioid overdose and what to do, visit the WECOSS website.

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