Nearly 6 British Columbians lost their lives to illicit drug overdoses each day in October, according to the Coroners’ Service.
Preliminary data from their monthly report shows at least 179 illicit overdose deaths in the month, the second most of any October since 2012.
That brings the yearly total to 1,827 deaths, again second only to last year’s 1,836 for the most through the first 10 months of any year.
Northern Health has seen 143 deaths this year, with 44 in the Northwest, putting both on pace to surpass last year’s record mark.
That also gives Northern Health the highest rate of toxic drug overdoses of any health authority, at 56.1 per 100,000 residents.
In the Terrace Local Health Area, that rate jumps even higher to 101.2 per 100,000, the third highest of any locality.
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