High Rates of Drug-related ED Visits – December 2, 2019

Windsor-Essex County

Date/Time/ Approximate Location

November 30 -  December 1, 2019

 

Event description

Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s surveillance and monitoring system has identified an increase in drug-related Emergency Department (ED) visits on November 30, 2019 (ten visits). The number of visits to the ED was also high for December 1, 2019 (seven visits).

No opioids were detected in any of the cases on either date, based on the hospital’s latest information. Windsor Regional Hospital communicated information regarding ten cases of drug and alcohol intoxication/misuse for November 30th. Details regarding these ten cases identified one case of methamphetamines, and the others were identified as substances other than opioids or amphetamines. It should be noted that one case may have multiple substances found within their system.

 

In addition, through Essex-Windsor EMS’ Overdose Notification System, the WECHU is aware of one instance of dispatch for suspected opioid misuse over the same time period.

Partners involved in the WECOSS including WECHU, Windsor Regional Hospital, Essex Windsor-EMS, and Erie Shores Healthcare continue to monitor this increase and are working to understand more about these reported cases.

Response

Please share this information with clients and relevant partners.  If you are aware of any linkages between these cases, or other causes for these increases please contact the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.

For signs & symptoms of opioid overdose and what to do, visit the WECOSS website: How Can Overdose Be Prevented?

Source

WECHU (Acute Care Enhanced Surveillance Application - ACES), Essex-Windsor EMS Overdose Notification System