National Overdose Awareness Day Hits Close to Home This Year

Tuesday, 31 August 2021 14:23

Overdoses continue to rise in Oxford County, with fatalities climbing every year since 2019. The Woodstock Hospital deals with overdoses on a daily basis.

OXFORD COUNTY - Today is International Overdose Awareness Day.

A recent report has shown that opioid overdose deaths have surged in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic. This also holds true for our local numbers in Oxford County. Between January and March of this year, Southwestern Public Health has confirmed 12 overdose deaths in the region. Extrapolated over a full year, that would be 46 deaths. Last year we had 26 deaths and 17 deaths in 2019.

Director of Mental and Health Services at Woodstock Hospital Shelley Muldoon says the hospital is dealing with overdoses almost every single day.

"We see overdoses daily at this hospital, sometimes more than once and they are often transported by EMS or police. Are numbers have definitely gone up."

Muldoon says signs to look for in an overdose include clammy sweaty skin, shallow or raspy breathing.

"Snoring or gurgling sounds, slurred speech, convulsions, someone who is really hard to wake up. What you would do in a case like this is shout their name and shake their shoulders, call 9-1-1 immediately if they are not responsive and then give Nalaxone immediately, one spray in the nostril and perform chest compressions and stay with them until help arrives. If there is no improvement in 2-3 minutes, then repeat the steps and administer another spray of Nalaxone."

Some sobering statistics from Ontario include the following:

- 2,426 opioid-related deaths occurred in 2020, a 60% rise from 1,517 deaths in 2019.
- There was a 79% increase in monthly opioid-related deaths in 2020, from 139 deaths in February 2020 to 249 deaths in December 2020.
- Almost 1 in 6 opioid-related deaths during the pandemic occurred among people experiencing homelessness.
- An unregulated and inconsistent drug supply, including, Fentanyl contributed to these deaths.
- Fentanyl directly contributed to 87% of the deaths and as many 50% of these deaths were attributed to “multi-drug toxicity” where other drugs such as benzodiazepines and stimulants were present.

List of local resources to help you when dealing with addiction:

- The Mobilie Outreach in Oxford and Elgin County. Call or text 226-377-7968 for confidential mobile supply services, including pickup and delivery of harm reduction supplies, Nalaxone training and counselling.
- SWPH has a needle exchange program, more information can be found online here.
- RAAM Clinic, walk ins welcome. Details can be found online here.
- Thames Valley Addiction Services. Details can be found online here.

Today is Overdose Awareness Day. We have already responded to three overdose calls today - 19 this month.

IOAD is held each year on Aug 31 to raise awareness of overdose, reduce the stigma around drug-related death and remember those we have lost due to this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/ejxkqjuHPO
— Woodstock Police Service (@Woodstock_PS) August 31, 2021