Northwestern Health Unit is advising its catchment area of an increase in opioid overdoses over the weekend.
NWHU stated in a release the first reports came from the Kenora area - however, there were indications that the City of Dryden has experienced several cases of drug poisoning as well.
The health unit’s harm reduction services in Dryden are seeing an unusual pattern of drowsiness among suspected users of meth. In Kenora, harm reduction services are seeing “Blue and Green Down” fentanyl and a “zombie-like walk” more typically seen with “tranq” or xylazine.
This may indicate that there is a new unregulated drug supply in the area, although the health unit does not know for sure.
Unregulated drug supplies are often laced with opioids or other substances that will increase the sedative effects on the body. This increase poses a substantial risk of overdose.
Some of the signs of opioid poisoning are slowed breathing or no breathing, loss of consciousness, low blood pressure and heart rate, drowsiness, confusion, slurred speech, blurred vision, or pinpoint pupils or rolled back pupils.
The NWHU is advising friends or family members who know active drug users to know the signs of opioid poisoning and carry and know how to use naloxone. It also recommended regularly checking in with people who use substances.
