As the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Toronto keeps dropping, the death toll from another ongoing public health crisis — opioid overdoses — continues to rise. In April, 25 fatal suspected opioid overdose calls were reported by Toronto paramedics, marking the highest suspected number of dead since September 2017. He added the drug supply itself grew "more potent, more toxic, more unpredictable" as global supply chains broke down, leading to potentially-deadly combinations of drugs circulating in the community. "The street drug supply remains not only extremely toxic, but more toxic than before the pandemic," Altenberg stressed. With no end in sight to either health crisis — the COVID-19 pandemic and opioid overdoses — city officials say more action is needed before the death toll climbs even higher in the months ahead.

Source: CBC News June 29, 2020 09:00 UTC