By Dan Marshall

Spike in overdoses in Nanaimo concern for Island Health

Jul 30, 2016 | 9:34 AM

NANAIMO — Island Health is concerned about a spike in the number of drug overdoses in Nanaimo.

There were reports of a dozen overdoses in a two day period this week, so the health authority issued an alert to injection drug users heading into the weekend.

That alert went through agencies with access to potential users.

There are no reports of any deaths but an Island Health official says it does appear that the same product may be linked to these overdoses.

The B.C. Coroners Service reported 15 overdose deaths in Nanaimo between January and the end of May. 

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Also a grim picture in the Island Health region as a whole with 71 overdose deaths since the beginning of the year, about twice as many as the same period a year ago.

The number of trips to the emergency room for non-fatal overdoses is 960, almost double the 573 at this time in 2015.

Island Health notes that 70 percent of these overdose deaths have tested positive for fentanyl.