After a 3rd person was pricked with a hypodermic needle in downtown Victoria, Island Health is calling together its service providers to discuss how they can collectively reduce the number of "sharps" that may be inappropriately discarded.
In a statement Island Health says " We recognize finding a discarded needle can be unsettling and we want to work together to see what can be done to ensure public spaces remain safe for everyone."
The latest victim was a hair salon employee in the 700-block of Johnson Street who was tending a planter box. The syringe was placed into the soil with the needle side up. And she told police she was nearly stuck by a needle in another planter box a few days ago.
Last week a toddler was pricked by a needle at the Pandora McDonalds, and a dog walker was stuck by a needle on Pembroke when she swatted a paper bag away from her pet. The bag contained numerous syringes, some capped and some not.