Skip to main content

High number of opioid-related ER visits and overdoses reported in Windsor-Essex

drugs drugs
Share

An alert has been issued after an increase in the number of opioid-related emergency department visits and substance use-related Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls.

The Opioid and Substance Use Notification System has identified the increase between July 28 and Aug 3.

Over this seven-day consecutive period, the system flagged a total of 11 opioid overdoses, eight of which involved fentanyl.

Nine of the opioid overdoses were reported by Windsor Regional Hospital, seven involving fentanyl and two were reported by Erie Shores Healthcare, one involving fentanyl.

“These values exceed our two and five-year historical averages for the current time-frame in question,” said a statement from the Windsor-Essex County Opioid and Substance Strategy.

During this same time period, there were also seven opioid non-overdoses reported by Windsor Regional Hospital, all of which involved fentanyl.

Alongside the ED visits, the system also identified seven consecutive days of substance-use related EMS calls over this time-frame, with a total of 18calls received.

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.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BUDGET 2024

BUDGET 2024 Feds cutting 5,000 public service jobs, looking to turn underused buildings into housing

Five thousand public service jobs will be cut over the next four years, while underused federal office buildings, Canada Post properties and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa could be turned into new housing units, as the federal government looks to find billions of dollars in savings and boost the country's housing portfolio.

Stay Connected