Call 911 if you think someone is overdosing! What is it? Bromazolam: benzodiazepine-related drug not approved for use. Xylazine: animal tranquilizer How is it sold? Found in fentanyl in Fort Frances. Could be in other communities as well. What are the risks? Overdose symptoms similar to opioids. Although NALOXONE does Read more…
Situation For the past few months, the rate of gonorrhea infections in the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) catchment area has seen a statistically significant increase. For May through July 2024, the rate was 24.2 per 100,000 population per month, compared with 15.3 per 100,000 population per month during the same Read more…
Situation Prior to 2021 the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) incidence rate for the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) catchment area had generally been lower than that of the province of Ontario; 4.1 per 100,000 in NWHU (2013-2021) compared to 5-6 per 100,000 in Ontario (2012-2022). NWHU incidence rates for 2022 and Read more…
Situation Syphilis has surged throughout the world including North America and Canada over the past several years, and the Northwestern Health Unit (NWHU) area is included in that trend. Increased testing and prompt access to treatment are crucial to reducing morbidity and mortality related to syphilis. Of particular concern is the increase Read more…
Situation Northwestern Health Unit has received notice that Fentanyl has been detected in the unregulated drug supply in Manitoba region in an unexpected format: tablets, sold as counterfeit Hydromorphone. A person may be exposed to Fentanyl when using other substances. The high prevalence of Fentanyl in unregulated drugs is illustrated Read more…
Situation The city of Belleville, Ontario has declared a state of emergency due to a substantial increase in unregulated drug toxicity events in a short period of time. This follows an alert this week about a new drug in the Toronto drug supply: medetomidine/dexmedetomidine. This animal tranquilizer has been found Read more…
Situation Northwestern Health Unit has received notice of drug alerts being issued across Ontario and neighbouring provinces in the last several weeks that report increased drug poisonings caused by fentanyl cut with benzodiazepines, xylazine, and caffeine. Opioids, benzodiazepines, and xylazine all have sedative effects. Combining any of these drugs increases Read more…
Situation Northwestern Health Unit is aware that Aqua Fentanyl has been linked to multiple overdoses in Thunder Bay. The Aqua Fentanyl was related to the use of both Fentanyl (opioid) and Benzodiazepines (not an opioid). When someone uses an opioid, with or without knowing, they can overdose. Overdose symptoms What Read more…
Situation Northwestern Health Unit is aware that Fentanyl has been found in Crack Cocaine in the Dryden area. Crack cocaine and Fentanyl are 2 different classes of drugs. People who use crack do not always use Fentanyl or opioids at the same time. When someone uses an opioid, especially without Read more…
Situation A small number of clients accessing safer drug use supplies at the Northwestern Health Unit in Fort Frances have reported concerns that the local drug supply may be contaminated with rat poison. We do not know the accuracy of the information, nor do we know the specifics. However, rat Read more…