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By James Peters

Overdose Deaths

B.C. records 176 overdose deaths in April, fifth-highest monthly total ever

Jun 1, 2021 | 10:32 AM

VICTORIA — B.C. recorded 176 deaths due to suspected illicit drug overdoses in April, the highest total ever for the month of April and the fifth-highest monthly total ever.

New figures from the B.C. Coroners Service show about 5.9 deaths per day in April, a 10 per cent increase over the death rate in March.

The Service notes fentanyl has been detected in about 86 per cent of all overdose deaths in B.C. so far this year. About 85 per cent occurred in private homes.

The regions with the highest rates of overdose include the Thompson Cariboo, and the Local Health Areas (LHA) with the highest rates include Merritt and Enderby.

Kamloops recorded seven more suspected overdose deaths in April, for a total of 19 so far in 2021. Kamloops has seen the seventh-most overdose deaths of all cities in B.C. for the year to date.

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The city had 61 overdose deaths in 2020. That total has recently been adjusted from 60.

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