B.C. paramedics respond to 130 suspected overdose calls Friday, the highest in one day

VANCOUVER — B.C. paramedics responded to 130 suspected overdose calls on Friday, tying the record for the highest number of overdoses in a 24-hour period since April 26, 2017.

All lives were saved, according to Provincial Health Services Authority executive vice-president Linda Lupini.

“If we are called by someone who actually sees the overdose, in 99 per cent of cases we can save them,” she said. “Deaths occur when people are using alone and there is no one to call.”

The spike was likely because of a combination of factors. Social assistance cheques were distributed on Wednesday, and there is usually a jump in overdoses in the following days. Community-outreach workers and safe-injection sites were also reporting a “high toxicity” in street drugs.

“We know the street drug supply was quite toxic,” Lupini said.

Fentanyl and possibly carfentanil were most likely to blame for the overdoses, as both are often mixed with street drugs.

Lupini said there were 48 suspected overdoses in the Fraser Health region and 46 in the Vancouver Coastal Health region. The greatest volume came between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.

The number does not account for people who were revived by a Naloxone injection and didn’t call an ambulance. Of the 130 suspected overdoses, 62 people were transported to hospital after receiving the life-saving medication.

Lupini said that while the overdose numbers had been stable at about 50 per day over the past few weeks, Friday’s record shows toxicity will continue to cause spikes.

She reminded people never to use drugs alone and for family and friends of drug users to have Naloxone on hand.