Overdose activity over the past year largely linked to Fentanyl use

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Ottawa Public Health (OPH), Ottawa Paramedic Service, Ottawa Police Service and its partners continue to see an increase in overdose activity over the past year largely linked to Fentanyl use.

Confirmed opioid overdose-related deaths in Ottawa approximately doubled from 65 in 2019 to 123 in 2020. In 84 percent of cases, Fentanyl or a form of Fentanyl directly contributed to the opioid-overdose related death. In 2021, 48 percent of opioid-related overdose deaths in Ottawa were among those aged 25-44, followed by 39% among those aged 45 to 64.

Ottawa Paramedic Service has also noted a similar trend in responses to overdose calls requiring Naloxone, a medication used to block the effects of opioids. Between January to May 15, 2021, paramedics responded to 98 calls requiring the administration of Naloxone. This was a 72 percent increase, compared to the same five-month period in 2020, when paramedics responded to 57 overdose calls with a Naloxone administration.

To date in 2021, Ottawa Police Service has responded to 240 calls for service involving overdoses, with 26 calls requiring the administration of Naloxone. Ottawa Police Service continues to work closely with OPH supporting the Naloxone distribution and safe supply program.

OPH continues to encourage people who are using drugs to not use alone and to carry Naloxone. For information on where to access supervised consumption services, overdose prevention and other harm reduction and substance use supports, please visit StopOverdoseOttawa.ca.

In response to the ongoing toxic drug supply, Safer Supply Ottawa Partners (Pathways to Recovery, Recovery Care, Ottawa Inner City Health, Respect RX Pharmacy, Somerset West Community Health Centre, Sandy Hill Community Health Centre and OPH) continue to work to expand access to safer supply programming in the community. Expanding current services and safer supply initiatives seeks to decrease the risk of accidental overdose and improve health by providing access to prescribed pharmaceutical opioids and further connect people who use drugs to integrated, wrap-around health, social and treatment services.

What is an overdose?

An overdose happens when a person uses more of a drug, or a combination of drugs, than the body can handle. As a result, the brain is not able to control basic life functions. The person may:

• Lose consciousness (can’t wake the person up);
• Stop breathing (fingernails and/or lips are blue or grey);
• Have a heart attack (pressure and tightness in the chest);
• Experience seizures depending on what drugs they have used.

Signs and symptoms of an overdose may look different from one person to the next, depending on the drugs involved. For more information and services regarding drug use, please visit Ottawa Public Health’s website.

If you use drugs, remember:

• Never use alone – If you overdose when you are alone there will be no one there to help you. If you are using with someone else, don’t use at the same time.
• Don’t mix drugs – Mixing with other drugs puts you at a higher risk of overdose.
• Go slow – The quality of street drugs is unpredictable. Anything can be cut with Fentanyl or Carfentanil.
• Know your tolerance - Your risk of overdose increases if you are a new user or haven’t used in more than three days.
• If you use – Consider visiting one of the four Supervised Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) locations in Ottawa.

If you have a friend or family member who chooses to use drugs:

• Know the signs of an overdose and call 9-1-1 - an overdose is always a medical emergency.
• Carry Naloxone which can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose and is free in Ontario through local pharmacies and other programs.
• Call 9-1-1 immediately if you witness an overdose – Administer Naloxone, perform chest compressions and do rescue breathing if safe to do so, and stay with them.

For more information on overdose prevention, please visit StopOverdoseOttawa.ca.

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