Toxic drug overdose deaths claimed the lives of 206 British Columbians last month, according to preliminary data from the Coroners’ Service.
That brings the total number of lives lost to the toxic drug overdose crisis through the first four months of 2023 to 814.
By that same time last year the Province had marked 775 deaths, on the way to the deadliest year since the public health emergency was declared.
So far this year, Northern Health has seen the highest rate of death among any health authority at 61.6 per 100,000 residents.
In the Northwest, that jumps to 80.6 per 100,000, the second highest of any delivery area, trailing only Vancouver.
That rate jumps even higher, to a province-high 157.9 per 100,000 residents in the Terrace Local Health Area.
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