A bad batch of synthetic drugs affecting Christchurch is now being blamed for killing at least one person.
St John Ambulance today revealed that a recent death is being linked to the same synthetic drugs which have put 19 other people in hospital.
The drug's affects are also causing chaos for local ambulance crews - one paramedic has been seriously assaulted while helping a patient who was believed to be in the grips of a synthetics high.
"I will not allow my staff to be put at risk," said St John Christchurch Metro manager Craig Downing.
Mr Downing pointed to an incident over the weekend that was particularly bad.
"Last Saturday night we had a particular case that the ambulance officers responded to, they attended to a person and while in the back of the ambulance that person - without provocation and without warning - violently attacked one of my staff.
"Our staff go about doing their job because they care, they don't expect to go home having been assaulted."
This comes as Christchurch is in the grips of what has been described as a public health emergency.
It started almost two weeks ago, when 10 people arrived in hospital after consuming a bad batch of synthetic drugs.
Symptoms included hallucinations, seizures, aggression, paranoia, anxiety and overheating.
Since then people have continued to pour into the emergency department - a total of 19 have now arrived ranging in age from 17 to 59 years old.
Two of them are still fighting for their lives in intensive care.
At least one death has been linked to this bad batch of synthetic drugs. RNZ has been told ambulance officers responded to a call-out for a person who appeared to have taken synthetics.
But while trying to help the patient, their health went rapidly downhill and nothing could be done.
"This is a poison that is entering people's bodies, it is having a profound affect on them," said Mr Downing.
