Edmonton emergency services respond to 55 opioid-related calls in two days

Alberta Health Services is sounding the alarm about a continuing spike in opioid-related emergencies.

Itsaid in a Thursday newsrelease that Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Edmonton responded to 55 opioid-related calls from May 31 to June 1. Naloxone was administered at 50 of those responsesand 34 people were taken to hospital.

AHS said there is no specificinformation available on the drugs involved.It'sencouragingusers to avoid using alone, to use a supervised consumption site if possible and to carry a naloxone kit.

Those who seek help during an overdose are protected from possession charges through the federal Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act.

In a surveillance report released earlier this year, Edmonton and Calgary were found to be some of the hardest-hit communities foropioid deaths.

The report from the Albertagovernment indicated that 997 people diedof opioid overdoses from January to November 2020.