Gray Bruce Public Health is renewing its plea for people who use drugs to do so safely after receiving a report of a suspected fatal drug overdose in Owen Sound. Officials say the victim was around 30. GBHU says the age-specific death rate for opioid overdose is the highest in that age group, according to local and provincial data. This is the first fatal overdose this month. However, GBHU issued three opioid alerts in August, each following a series of overdoses in a short period of time. “We are saddened by the news of this fatal drug overdose in Grey-Bruce and are deeply concerned about all aspects and complexities of the opioid crisis,” says GBHU Medical Advisor Dr. Rim Zayed. “We are closely monitoring the circumstances surrounding this overdose and local data and trends as we continue to respond to the opioid and substance abuse epidemic, which is a high priority Public Health issue. GBHU is committed to working with a wide range of partners and stakeholders on this issue and considers all relevant input from community members with lived and lived experience. This epidemic is a crisis that requires engagement and commitment from everyone and every sector in the community either as community members or as experts in the field.” Public Health encourages residents to receive overdose prevention training and carry a Naloxone kit.
