Community alert issued after four suspected drug-related deaths in Waterloo Region

Some workplaces in Ontario are now required to carry a kit used to temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. A Naloxone anti-overdose kit is held in downtown Vancouver, Friday, Feb. 10, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

The Waterloo Region Integrated Drug Strategy (WRIDS) has issued a community alert following a recent uptick in drug-related deaths.

The group says there was an increase in overdoses and drug poisonings from June 28 to July 4.

In that time, 41 cases were reported, with four resulting in suspected drug-related deaths.

The Kitchener Consumption & Treatment Services site has also detected samples of several substances in the unregulated drug supply, including fentanyl analogues, bromazolam, and flubromazolam, otherwise known as "liquid Xanax".

The WRIDS is reminding those using substances to never use alone, have naloxone ready, or use at the CTS site at 150 Duke Street.