VICTORIA 芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 Some facts about illicit drug overdose deaths in 2016 in British Columbia:
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 The 914 people who died last year represents an almost 80-per-cent increase from 2015, when 510 people died.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 The 142 people who died in December is the highest number recorded in a month.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 Illicit fentanyl appears to largely account for the increase since 2012 as the number of deaths where fentanyl was not detected has remained relatively stable since 2011, at an average of 293 deaths a year.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 Those aged 30 to 39 and 40 to 49 have accounted for the largest percentage of illicit drug overdose deaths in 2016, at 27.6 and 23.6 per cent respectively.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 About 73 per cent of deaths were among people aged 19 to 49, and males accounted for 80.7 per cent of deaths in 2016.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 The most fatalities happened on Saturdays and Sundays.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 The Fraser Health Authority had the highest number of illicit drug overdose deaths at 301, which makes up about 33 per cent of all illicit drug overdose deaths for the year.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 Vancouver Coastal Health Authority had the highest rate of deaths, with 21.7 deaths per 100,000 individuals in 2016.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 Almost 90 per cent of illicit drug overdoses happened indoors.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 About 61 per cent of those who died were in private residences.
芒鈧π卟菅芯克鶟 There were no deaths at supervised consumption or drug overdose prevention sites.
(Source: British Columbia Coroners Service)
The Canadian Press
