Island Health is sounding the alarm just days before Halloween and on the cusp of what is expected to be a busy weekend for first responders.
Spokesperson Meribeth Burton says six people were rushed to Jubilee Hospital over the past 24 hours suffering from drug overdoses.
That is in addition to nine calls for help within a three-hour span, but it is unknown if those numbers are correlated.
OVERDOSE ADVISORY: There has been an increase in #overdoses in Victoria in the past 24 hours. #yyj #StopOverdose pic.twitter.com/jbADW0JeDF
— Island Health (@VanIslandHealth) October 27, 2017
The concern is that recreational drug users, some of whom may not have used since before the current opioid epidemic, may find themselves using too much or from an unknown source.
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Island Health asks the community to call 911 immediately if they think someone is overdosing and provide a shot of naloxone if available.
Other strategies suggested by the local health authority include staggering the drug use, fixing with a friend and if alone, using at an overdose prevention site.
