Nanaimo joins three other Island communities under an overdose advisory related to a toxic drug supply. (Pikist)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

TOXIC DRUGS

Nanaimo among four Island communities under overdose advisory

Apr 22, 2021 | 4:10 PM

NANAIMO — Health officials across Vancouver Island are warning of an increasingly tainted drug supply.

An advisory was published by Island Health on Tuesday, April 20 after a spike in overdoses in Nanaimo, Victoria, Campbell River and the Comox Valley in recent weeks.

It’s the first overdose advisory for Nanaimo since August 2020.

“What’s concerning is that for the first time that I can remember, we issued those alerts in four different communities in the last week spread across the Island Health region,” Dr. Charmaine Enns, medical health officer, said.

The advisory cited an increased risk with both injection and inhalation of opioids and stimulants.

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According to Enns, a consistent factor in overdoses and overdose-related fatalities is fentanyl and its derivatives.

“Fentanyl and its analogs was present in 87 per cent of the deaths that have been reported so far. But fentanyl and its analogs are being cut into all of the substances, there is no pure drug supply, there is no quality control over our illicit drug supply.”

Twelve people have lost their lives in Nanaimo between the start of the year and end of February, including seven in February.

The city sustained its second most fatal year ever for overdoses in 2020 with 39 people dying.

Paramedics also responded to a record number of overdose-related calls in 2020, with 664 callouts.

“It can be a very hidden thing so let’s not make any assumptions that it’s only targeted to a particular group of people,” Enns said. “This is really a population-wide concern and if it doesn’t impact people directly, rest assured there is family or community who knows someone who is considerably at risk.”

Overdose alerts are issued after a number of factors are taking into consideration including ambulance callout volume, reports from overdose prevention sites and recent fatalities.

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— with files from Jon De Roo, 97.3 The Eagle

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