VANCOUVER — Health officials are warning about an increase in drug overdoses in Vancouver, while police in Victoria say overdose calls are exhausting their resources.

Vancouver Coastal Health is urging people to have their drugs checked at supervised consumption sites and overdose prevention sites.

The health authority says a high number of overdoses have been reported this week, and drug checks have found high concentrations of fentanyl in heroin.

Meanwhile, police in Victoria say patrol officers responded to five overdoses within a nine-hour period between Thursday night and Friday morning, exhausting their supply of the overdose-reversing drug naloxone.

The department says in a news release that two people were taken to hospital and two others declined further treatment.

One person could not be revived and police say the exact cause of death will be determined by the coroner’s service.

Read more:

After Victoria teen’s accidental overdose, parents say B.C. medical consent law left them ‘trapped’

Opioid crisis pushes first responders to adapt

Experts agree naloxone is central to fighting Canada’s opioid crisis — but they also say it’s not a ‘wonder drug’

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Read more about: