Health ministry sounds alarm after Saskatoon sees 30 overdoses in three days

Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health is warning the public about dangerous drugs circulating in Saskatoon.

According to the ministry, the city saw five overdoses on Friday, followed by eight more on Saturday and 17 overdoses on Sunday, for a total of 30 in a three-day period.

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“Saskatoon Fire Department has responded to 30 overdose calls over three days. Other agencies may be seeing more,” the ministry said in a statement.

“Multiple doses of naloxone and medical care were required over last 24 hours.”

While the ministry warned of dangerous drugs making the rounds in the Bridge City, it said the exact substances behind the weekend’s rash of overdoses are unknown.

“Recent testing indicates multiple substances are circulating in the community,” the ministry said.

Using illegal drugs poses a significant health risk, the ministry explained, but the risks can be reduced by getting a take-home naloxone kit – a nasal spray that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opiate overdose – calling the National Overdose Response Service if using drugs alone, and using a drug-checking service.

Prairie Harm Reduction, the organization which operates the city’s only supervised drug consumption site, also shared the overdose alert.

“This is a serious reminder that overdoses are still happening in our city – frequently and quietly,” the harm-reduction organization wrote in a social media post.

“This crisis isn’t over. If you use substances: Carry naloxone, don’t use alone (and) let someone know to check in on you.”