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The overdose crisis in Saskatchewan isn’t going anywhere.
According to a release from Saskatoon police Tuesday, members responded to 10 overdoses between Tuesday and Sunday of last week.
Of those 10 overdoses, five individuals died, while the remaining five were revived.
“While toxicology is used to confirm the substances, initial information at some of the scenes indicates the presence of fentanyl. While Police do not attend to every overdose call, officers have administered Narcan in 13 instances between January and April of this year,” the release from police states.
Medavie Health Services West was also included in the release, with the first responder organization stating that it too has seen an increase in overdose calls.
“These numbers are very alarming to us, especially having 21 patients in less than a week that required 29 doses of Narcan administered to regain consciousness,” Troy Davies, director of public affairs for Medavie Health Services West, said in the release. “To put this into perspective, in May 2019 we had a total of 11 patients for the entire month that received Narcan.”
The overdose crisis isn’t something foreign to those within the addictions community, or to Davies.
“We could probably do a media release weekly on this …,” he said Tuesday. “Anytime that you take a drug, it’s almost like Russian Roulette. You never know, exactly, what’s in it and what you’re taking …
“You’re not getting this from a pharmacist or a doctor. They’re being made in bathtubs — that’s what you’re taking.”
Since the beginning of 2021 — and as of April 6 — 138 people have died due to either a suspected or confirmed drug overdose in Saskatchewan. That includes 35 in the month of April and puts Saskatchewan at a pace of over 400 by year’s end.
2020 was the deadliest year on record in Saskatchewan’s history when it came to overdose deaths.
There were 269 confirmed, with another 67 still suspected within the 2020 calendar year. The 336 deaths broke the 2019 record of 177 in the province — nearly doubling the figure from the year prior.
This past weekend, police in Moose Jaw also warned the public of a possible tainted supply following three overdoses in 12 hours Saturday and Sunday.
Police and Medavie said taking any drug that isn’t prescribed by a doctor or dispensed by a pharmacist can result in serious injury or death.
“We never know exactly what we’re dealing with. So even if someone says its a certain drug, we can’t confirm that until we get (toxicology) reports back,” Davies explained.
Saskatoon police reminded the public of the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act, which allows anyone present with another individual experiencing an overdose to call 9-1-1 without fear of criminal charges.
“Symptoms of an opioid overdose may include: slow or no breathing; gurgling, gasping or snoring; clammy, cool skin; and blue lips or nails … People can also access Naloxone kits, if they are concerned about experiencing, or witnessing, a drug overdose,” Saskatoon police’s release states.