13 overdose deaths in Waterloo region so far this year: Police report

Since Jan. 1 of this year,13 people have died from drug overdoses in Waterloo region, according to numbers released by Waterloo Regional Police Service's investigative services division.

Of those, seven were in Kitchener.

The report, presented to the Waterloo Regional Police Services Board on Wednesday, said fentanyl continues to be a significant problem in the region.

Carfentanil, a fentanyl variant that's much more potent, "has become prevalent in the region," the report said.

"Officers and paramedics are finding that reviving overdose patients now sometimes requires multiple doses of naloxoneand increased medical care," the report said.

Overall, the number of reported drug overdoses have decreased compared to last year, the report said.

BetweenFebruary to April of this yearthere were 112 reported drug overdosescompared to 142during the same three months in 2017.

The number of deaths also decreased. So far this year, there have been13 deaths, compared to 21 between February to April in 2017. January 2017 was not included in the count because of a "change in coding," the report said.

Earlier this month, paramedics reportedoverdose-related calls are up.BetweenJanuary and March of this year, paramedics responded to 184opioidoverdose-related calls compared tothe 157 calls during the same three months of 2017.

Naloxonemore readily available

Police saidthe fatal overdoses happen in residential and suburban areas, "as opposed to public places or shelters."

The maps included in the report also show non-fatal overdoses happening in certain clusters downtown Kitchener andGaltare two of them.

This year, police have used naloxone 11 times to save overdose victims. From the beginning of the naloxone program in May 2017, there has been a total of 33 times when police officers used naloxone.

Police saidin some cases, victims are revived by people who have naloxone kits. Then, those who are revived either don't require further involvement from emergency servicesor decline help.

Waterloo Region Paramedic Services deputy chief Robert Crossan said paramedics only use naloxone as a last resort. Instead, they prefer keeping the victim alive with other methods to get themto hospital. That way the person can be admitted into the care system and access other services.