Police respond to highest number of suspected overdoses and deaths in January

Waterloo Regional Police said January had the highest number of suspected overdoses ever reported in one month.

In total, officersresponded to 75 suspected overdoses throughout Waterloo region during the first month of 2019,10 of which were fatal.

"Those are alarming numbers to us," Ashley Dietrich, with the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) told CBC News.

• 13 overdose deaths in Waterloo region so far this year: Police report
• More people dying from overdose per capita in Cambridge than Kitchener or Waterloo

Police suspect fentanyl and opioid use were the cause of January's high overdose calls.

Police havea dedicated team through the service's drug and fire arm unit that look at overdose trends in the region and try to bring awareness to the public, Dietrich said.

In 2018,June saw the highest number of overdose calls. Police responded to 65 suspected overdose calls, four of which were fatal.

March 2018 saw seven overdose fatalities,the highest number of overdose fatalities in a month that year.

Police continue to encourage the public to educate themselves in recognizing the signs of an overdose and to get familiarized with the Good SamaritanAct.