A rash of drug overdose deaths in Toronto, called unusual by police, has prompted a public alert. The deaths of four people and more than 20 reported overdoses in downtown Toronto between Thursday and Sunday this week may seem small compared to Vancouver, where 25 people died from drug overdoses in June alone. But experts who deal with Toronto’s drug problems say the overdose surge shows that people shouldn’t ignore it, asking the city to act immediately. Testing is still being done, but Toronto police say they suspect the deaths may be linked to heroin laced with the powerful opioid fentanyl which has been blamed for a dramatic increase in overdose deaths all across North America. Mayor John Tory issued a statement expressing concern about the situation. “Every one of these overdoses is a tragedy and each loss of a life has a devastating impact on families, friends and the community as a whole. As these recent sad events demonstrate, this remains a significant challenge and we will continue to work with Toronto Public Health, the Toronto Police Service, other governments and other agencies to help people and prevent future deaths.”