Health officials warn of fentanyl on P.E.I. following 2 overdoses in 24 hours
Health officials and police on Prince Edward Island are warning Islanders about the presence of a highly potent opioid, fentanyl, in the province.
The warning comes after two confirmed accidental overdoses, and one possible overdose, involving the drug in the Summerside area in 24 hours.
“I think fentanyl reaches all corners, and Summerside’s no different than anywhere else,” said Cpl. Dale Cornish with the Summerside Police.
According to a news release from the province, no deaths have been reported in relation to these incidents.
“Fentanyl is a powerful opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine and has caused accidental overdoses and death in individuals who consume street drugs,” said Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison in a news release.
This isn’t the first time officers in Summerside have issued a warning about fentanyl.
“Given the fact that we’ve had a couple here within a very short span it certainly seems important to send that notice out again. I mean it’s something you’d want people to be aware of all the time.”
Naloxone, sold often under the brand Narcan, is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids.
“Carrying naloxone and informing others who may use drugs that naloxone is available across Prince Edward Island are important steps to reduce the risk of possible accidental overdoses,” said Morrison.
If someone feels they need a naloxone kit, the province says they can contact the provincial Needle Exchange Program online.
They say free kits are also available to clients of mental health and addictions programs, and select community groups.
“Anybody who’s going to be taking opioids of that sort should make sure that they have somebody with them at all times, and certainly somebody that’s capable of administering naloxone, and at the first sign of anything going wrong to make sure they call 911 and seek medical system,” said Cornish.
Remote (phone-based) overdose response services are also available, including the National Overdose Response Service and Brave.
Both services are available 24/7 and are free and confidential.
Sgt. Jason Blacquiere of the Summerside Police Services says it is concerning to see fentanyl circulating in the community.
“We are being vigilant in our response and continue to work with our partners to ensure there are safe and healthy communities across the province,” he said.
Police say they are continuing their investigation into these incidents. They’re asking anyone with information related to the overdoses, or other drug-related information, to contact the Summerside Police Services at 902-432-1201.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Monthly earnings rise, payroll employment falls: jobs report
The number of vacant jobs in Canada increased in February, while monthly payroll employment decreased in food services, manufacturing, and retail trade, among other sectors.
Doctors say capital gains tax changes will jeopardize their retirement. Is that true?
The Canadian Medical Association asserts the Liberals' proposed changes to capital gains taxation will put doctors' retirement savings in jeopardy, but some financial experts insist incorporated professionals are not as doomed as they say they are.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
Something in the water? Canadian family latest to spot elusive 'Loch Ness Monster'
For centuries, people have wondered what, if anything, might be lurking beneath the surface of Loch Ness in Scotland. When Canadian couple Parry Malm and Shannon Wiseman visited the Scottish highlands earlier this month with their two children, they didn’t expect to become part of the mystery.
What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?
Recent injected drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, are reshaping the health and fitness industries.
2 military horses that broke free and ran loose across London are in serious condition
Two military horses that bolted and ran miles through the streets of London after being spooked by construction noise and tossing their riders were in a serious condition and required operations, a British government official said Thursday.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.
He replaced Mickey Mantle. Now baseball's oldest living major leaguer is turning 100
The oldest living former major leaguer, Art Schallock turns 100 on Thursday and is being celebrated in the Bay Area and beyond as the milestone approaches.