Police in York Region are warning the public after three people died of a suspected drug overdose over the weekend in Markham.

York Regional Police (YRP) said between Friday and Saturday officers responded to three calls related to drug overdoses in the area of Robinson Street and Highway 48.

They said they believe at least three deaths and one overdose where the person required treatment in hospital are connected to the consumption of fentanyl.

“Residents are reminded that if fentanyl is mistaken for another less-potent opioid like morphine, heroin or oxycodone, overdoses can easily occur. Depending on how it’s administered, the user may not notice the difference until it’s too late,” YRP said in a news release, noting some drugs can also contain contaminants that are hard or impossible to detect.

“Like many other regions across Ontario, York Region is experiencing a drug poisoning emergency,” Dr. Richard Gould, Associate Medical Officer of Health for York Region told CTV News Toronto on Sunday.

“Over the past few years, opioid-related deaths have risen. The presence of Fentanyl and other toxic substances in the unregulated drug supply is not new to York Region; this has sadly been the case for quite some time.”

Despite the recent overdose deaths, a York spokesperson said the region has one of the lowest rates of emergency department visits for opioid overdoses amongst the health units in the Greater Toronto Area.

From March 2022 until February of this year, the region says there were an estimated 160 visits to a York Region Emergency Department for an opioid overdose, compared to 159 in the same period the previous year.

“In 2021, there were 72 opioid-related deaths in York Region, slightly higher than the 69 deaths seen in 2020,” the spokesperson added.

Symptoms of an overdose may include slow, irregular and shallow respirations, pinpoint pupils, muscle rigidity, seizures and unconsciousness leading to coma as well as dizziness, drowsiness, headache, sleepiness, nausea, and vomiting.

Police are urging people who use drugs to never use drugs alone and ensure that they have a Naloxone kit available for an emergency.

“Avoid mixing drugs and be very careful about dosage. Learn the signs and symptoms of an overdose and call 9-1-1 immediately if you think you or a friend could be overdosing,” they said.