On Thursday, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) issued an alert regarding the high number of opioid overdoses in the area over the last week.
The health unit reports that eight opioid overdoses happened between December 15 and December 21. Six of these instances involved fentanyl. These numbers allegedly exceed the five-year historical average for the same seven day period.
WECHU also says Emergency Medical Services received thirteen substance-use related calls during the same time period - at least one per day.
"Together, the eight (8) opioid overdoses combined with the thirteen (13) substance-use related EMS calls are values that warrant a public alert," the notification read.
This is the eleventh opioid alert they have issued in 2022.
The last alert from WECHU's Opioid and Substance Use Notification System came earlier this month, when 11 overdoses were recorded between December 5 and December 11.
