Peterborough Public Health (PPH) is extending its drug-poisoning alert after an additional five poisonings were noted on Tuesday (February 13), for a total of 19 since Saturday.
On Wednesday, PPH issued the extended alert following a trigger of its Early Warning Surveillance System.
Last Saturday, there were eight drug poisonings on resulting calls for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and hospital emergency department (ED) visits. The presumed substance causing the poisonings is orange and green in colour and sedative effects have been reported.
On Sunday, there were six drug-poisonings resulting in EMS calls and ED visits related to the same presumed substance as the day prior.
Then on Tuesday, there were five drug poisonings resulting in EMS calls and ED visits. A white/beige substance being sold as “down” was tested, confirming the presence of benzodiazepines — which are sedatives — along with fentanyl.
PPH recommends people always carry multiple naloxone kits. However, sedatives cannot be reversed with naloxone, PHH noted. Learn where to get a free naloxone kit at ontario.ca/naloxone.
The health unit issues drug-poisoning alerts with the intention of providing life-saving information about tainted drug supplies for those who use drugs, their loved ones, and service providers in the community.
Drug-checking services are available in Peterborough at the Consumption & Treatment Site (CTS), located downtown at 220 Simcoe St., from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on February 17 and 21 to 23. Test strips for fentanyl, benzos, and xylazine are available at the CTS during hours of operation from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, with harm reduction support also available daily during those hours.
Other harm reduction support is available by calling the National Overdose Response Service at 1-888-688-6677 (NORS) and by calling The Krasman Centre’s Warm Line & Peer Crisis Support Services in Richmond Hill at 1-888-777-0979. The line is available 24/7, with online chat also available from 10 a.m. to midnight at The Krasman Centre’s website.
Crisis support is available 24/7 by calling the 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text 9-8-8) or by calling the Telecare Distress Centre of Peterborough at 705-745-2273.
Last week, the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPRDHU) issued a warning about a toxic drug supply being suspected in the nearby community of Belleville.
Emergency services in the city of Belleville responded to a total of 23 overdoses, 14 of which occurred between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 6th. The substance of concern circulating in that community was unknown at the time, HKPRDHU noted.
Belleville made national headlines after the city reached out to the provincial government for assistance in managing the volume of incidents, which stressed its emergency services to capacity.
City officials and community partners from local emergency services, as well as Hastings Prince Edward Public Health and Quinte Health, addressed the media during a press conference at city hall following the 23 overdoses.
“This is a very unfortunate event,” said City of Belleville Mayor Neil Ellis in a statement.
“It’s not the first occurrence and it won’t be the last. Like many municipalities across the province and country, we have a very serious drug, addictions and mental health crisis in our city,” Ellis said.
“Our police and emergency services are working around the clock and an immense amount of municipal resources are going toward this issue on a daily basis. We need support from the provincial government on how we move forward with this crisis. It is a crisis that is not specific to Belleville, it is a provincial and federal issue.”
