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Music

More Than 20 People Hospitalized During the Electric Parade Music Festival

The hospitalizations reportedly occurred after people consumed a synthetic GHB.
Photo via Electric Parade Instagram

More than 20 people have been hospitalized after reportedly ingesting synthetic GHB during the Electric Parade Music festival in Melbourne.

According to reports from the Guardian, medical personnel treated 30 people at the festival and 25 of them needed hospitalization from reported overdoses of the substance. In addition to the people transported from the festival, Ambulance Victoria state health commander Paul Holman said other people across the city have also been hospitalized after consuming the same substance. Seven other people reportedly collapsed in nearby parks or on the streets, according to the Guardian.

"It's the highest number of overdoses we have seen at a music event for some time," Holman told the Guardian. "That we haven't seen [any deaths] tonight is probably just good luck and not anything else."

The Guardian reports that seven people have already been discharged from St Vincent's Hospital and were reportedly found to have GHB and other drugs in their system.

Days before the music festival, organizers of the event released a statement on their Facebook page about a zero-tolerance policy.

"We have an absolute zero tolerance for drugs and other illicit substances at Electric Parade. Anyone caught using illicit substances throughout the event will be swiftly ejected by security and will not be allowed to return," the event wrote. "In light of recent news surrounding potentially life threatening MDMA or Ecstasy, its important to not buy any illicit substances at the event as you will not know the potential health and safety risks associated with the substance you are buying."