Hastings Prince Edward Public Health says there has been a spike in overdose-related emergency calls recently.
The health unit says Belleville Police have responded to five emergency overdose calls over the past week, with two of those resulting in deaths.
Health officials say the anxiety created by COVID-19 related events could be leading to increased substance use and they are recommending people who use drugs continue to take precautions including having naloxone, avoiding mixing drugs and not using alone.
While people using drugs should never use alone, the health unit is also pushing the need to limit how many people you are around and continue to practice important personal hygiene and infection controls measures.
For more on safer drug use and how to get a Naloxone kit, you can click here to visit the HPE Public Health Website.