Suspected opioid deaths prompt warning in Lambton County

A man prepares heroin he bought on the street to be injected at the Insite safe injection clinic in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday May 11, 2011. Workers at Vancouver's supervised-injection site have been dealing with a higher-than-normal number of drug overdoses this week as the facility expands its hours to deal with the region's opioid crisis. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Lambton Public Health Unit (LPHU) is sounding the alarm following a series of suspected opioid deaths.

The health unit said a spike was noted late last week.

“When they [deaths] go above the rolling average, that says to us it’s time to issue a public health advisory,” said Shaun Bisson, a communications coordinator with LPHU. “And in this case, on Friday, we received a pair of suspected opioid deaths, and that triggered the response.”

In its release, LPHU is encouraging users of opioids to not consume alone and to not mix the drug with alcohol.

They’re also reiterating how important it is to carry a naloxone kit.

As Lambton County continues to cope with the opioid epidemic, its medical officer of health is encouraging continued focus on the Lambton Drug and Alcohol Strategy.

It includes partnerships with multiple agencies, including police.