The Chief Administrative Officer for the Kenora District Services Board says he’s very concerned with the spike in drug overdoses across the region in recent days.
Henry Wall says we have seen a significant spike in the number of overdoses in our communities in the last week and he says COVID-19 has had an impact on drug distribution and the types of drugs that are entering our community including new drugs.
Police say the drug believed to have caused most of the overdoses is known as “yellow down”” or “purple down”.
The drug contains fentanyl, which is an extremely potent opioid and is 100 times stronger than morphine and 40 times stronger than heroin.
Wall says drug use is only one part of the crisis, noting high levels of poverty, homelessness and mental health issues continue to plague area communities.
He also says the pandemic has really highlighted how much work needs to be done.
