Increase in suspected opioid-related overdoses in Brant County

The Brant County Health Unit is seen in this undated image. (Facebook/Brant County Health Unit)

The Brant County Health Unit has put out a public safety alert after 16 suspected opioid related overdoses or drug poisonings this month.

All 16 incidents reported between June 1 and June 13 happened within the Brantford city limits and were not fatal.

In a release, the health unit says this is a higher number of overdoses than what is typical for the time frame, and that the substance responsible for the suspected overdoses has not yet been identified.

According to the latest data available on the Brant County Health Unit’s website, there were 14 opioid-related emergency department visits in Brant County last month, and 5 reported opioid-related deaths.

The health unit is urging all drug users to exercise caution and to never use alone.

“If you think someone is suffering from a drug overdose, call 911 immediately. If available, give the person naloxone, even if they weren’t intending to use opioids. Naloxone is an emergency medication that temporarily reverses the effects of an overdose from opioids such as fentanyl, heroin, methadone and morphine as well as those caused by non-opioid drugs contaminated with opioids,” the health unit says.