KAMLOOPS — Health Minister Terry Lake says there have been a spate of fentanyl overdoses in Kamloops over the past few hours.
Lake says no fewer than six people have overdosed on the drug.
He notes each patient was treated with naloxone, and four of them were taken to Royal Inland Hospital.
Lake says it’s a scary situation.
“It’s very frightening. People should know when you are using illicit drugs, there can be all kinds of contaminants in there. Fentanyl is one that we are very concerned about. A new synthetic opiate called ‘W-18’ that’s shown up in Alberta and could show up here in B.C.; even more powerful, even more deadly,” said Lake.
Lake adds the information can be made public so quickly because of measures following from the public health emergency declaration made last week.
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