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BC records 147 illicit drug deaths in August, including seven in PG

(Graphic supplied by BC Coroners Service)

Northern Health continues to have the highest rate of illicit drug deaths in BC at 40 per 100,000 people.

The northern region has seen 80 deaths so far this year, 18 of which are from last month.

Today (Wednesday), the BC Coroners Service reported 147 deaths in August, which is a 71% increase from the same month last year but a 16% drop from the number of deaths in July of 2020.

There have been 1,068 illicit drug deaths in BC this year, including 29 in Prince George.

Chief Coroner Lisa Lapointe told MyPGNow.com it will be a while before the situation heads in the opposite direction.

“This is a long-term problematic issue that is going to require a very long term sustained response over time.”

She added much of the progress they made was snuffed out due to COVID-19.

“We’ve already seen in the first eight months more deaths than what there was in all of 2019 due to illicit drug toxicity. The measures that were implemented, working, and effective were hampered by COVID-19 impacts.”

The provincial total from the first eight months of 2020, has already surpassed the total number of illicit drug deaths from last year, which was 983.

This year, 69% of those who died were aged 30 to 59.

Males accounted for 81% of deaths so far.

Between 2018 to 2020, the northern capital has seen 111 drug toxicity deaths, equating to a rate of 41.7 per 100-thousand people.

BC Paramedics responded to over 75-hundred provincial overdose calls throughout the summer, making it the highest number of calls ever recorded in a three-month span.

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Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].

Brendan Pawliw
Brendan Pawliw
Since moving to Prince George in 2015, Brendan has covered local sports including the WHL’s Prince George Cougars, Prince George Spruce Kings, UNBC Timberwolves, Cariboo Cougars AAA, and Northern Capitals U18 female hockey teams. Career highlights include play-by-play during the Spruce Kings' BCHL championship runs in 2018 and 2019, including the Doyle Cup win. He also covered the 2019 National Junior A Championship, the 2017 Telus Cup, the 2022 World Women’s Curling Championship, and the 2022 BC Summer Games. Brendan is the news voice on 94.3 The Goat and Country 97 FM, reporting on crime, real estate, labour, and environmental issues. Outside of work, he officiates box lacrosse and fastball, sits on the Prince George Sports Hall of Fame board, and co-hosts the Hockey North podcast.

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