Perth County has joined a growing number of Canadian municipalities with an opioid problem.
Police and paramedic services in the county are reporting an increase in calls related to overdoses throughout 2018, including four overdose deaths. Police investigations into these cases continue, and it's suspected the deaths were a result of fentanyl use.
The Perth Opioid Strategy group has issued a word of caution about local illicit drugs, including heroin and methamphetamine. The group said the drugs are being "cut" with fentanyl, and there is no easy way to know if fentanyl is in what a person is using.
"You can’t see it, smell it or taste it. It is extremely toxic and a very small amount can cause an overdose," said Medical Officer of Health Dr. Miriam Klassen.
If someone shows any signs of an opioid overdose, Dr. Klassen recommends you call 911 immediately, give naloxone if its available, and start CPR.
The effects of naloxone only last for 30 to 60 minutes. If the opioid is still in the body after the naloxone wears off, the overdose can return. This is why it's so important to call 911 in every overdose situation.
You can search www.ontario.ca/naloxone to find out where you can get a naloxone kit in Perth County.
In order to gain a more complete picture of the situation in Perth County, the health unit has been coordinating local opioid data collection on a weekly basis since November 2017. It receives reports of opioid activity from paramedic services, fire and police, hospitals, methadone clinics, school boards, dental professionals, and a family health team.