Photo courtesy of the Province of British Columbia

Two overdose alerts were issued for the Nanaimo and Cowichan Valley areas as the region records a spike in overdose calls.

Dr. Mike Benusic, medical health officer for the central region of Island Health, says toxic levels of fentanyl have been found in opioids for years but is being found more frequently in cocaine and methamphetamines.

BC Emergency Health Services report that paramedics in Nanaimo responded to 71 calls for overdoses in July compared to the average of 50. There were over 2,700 calls for overdoses in July in the province — the most since the overdose crisis began.

"Paramedics are pleading: Don't use alone," tweeted BC Emergency Health Services.

Island Health is advising people who use drugs in Nanaimo to visit the Overdose Prevention Service (OPS) at 437 Wesley Street which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

In Cowichan, people can visit the OPS at 221 Trunk Road in Duncan between 1 p.m. and 7 p.m.

It's also recommended to test the drugs before you use a full dose, that you not use alone, carry Naloxone, and stagger your use with a friend so someone can respond if needed.

If this isn't possible there is a new LifeguardApp that you can download on your phone which will call 911 if you overdose alone.

Island Health also suggests talking to your doctor or health-care provider about how to reduce your use of drugs or access safe prescription alternatives.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions announced $10.5 million in funding that will be used to open 17 new supervised consumption services and 12 new inhalation services “in communities hit the hardest by the overdose crisis.” A spokesperson for the ministry said they are working with health authorities “to determine exactly which communities will be receiving services.”

The BC coroners' office reports that 45 people have died of toxic street drugs in the Central Vancouver Island area as of June, including 20 in Nanaimo.

With files from Lisa Cordasco.