A man has died after a spate of drug overdoses in Swansea over the last four days, a health board has said.
There have been 12 overdose cases in the area in south Wales since Wednesday, prompting warnings from Swansea Bay University health board over the dangers of taking drugs.
One person died on Saturday, the board said, and the death is being investigated by South Wales police.
People were initially warned against a “bad batch” of fake anti-anxiety drugs, mis-sold as Valium and Xanax, being linked to the overdoses, but the board said it was still not clear what was behind the incidents and other drugs could be involved.
The board’s director of public health, Keith Reid, said: “I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of the person who has died. It’s important that we see drug use primarily as a public health problem and recognise its very real impact on individuals and families in our communities.
“This number of overdose cases in such a short time is highly concerning, and we don’t know clearly yet what drug or drugs may be behind it.
“So we are advising people to take extreme care. If you are using drugs, then please exercise great caution – especially if you have changed your supplier recently or you have been offered, or are using, a new drug.”
Adrian Stallwood, an A&E consultant at Morriston hospital in Swansea, said most of the doctors from the department, and almost all members of the intensive care and anaesthetics teams, had been involved in the care of the patients.
He added: “We have sadly heard that these drugs have led to a death, which is a tragic waste of a life full of potential.”
A spokesperson for South Wales police said: “We can confirm the tragic sudden death of a man in the Waun Wen area of Swansea today which is being treated as unexplained.
“An investigation into the circumstances is now underway.
“The cause of death is currently unknown and at this stage we are keeping an open mind, but people must always exercise extreme caution, follow the advice of Swansea Bay NHS, and encourage their peers to do the same.”
