5 British Columbians dying every day from overdose, coroner reports

The surge in overdose deaths in B.C. shows no signof waning with an average of five people now dying every day, according to the latest figures from the BCCoroners Service.

In the month of October alone, 162 fatalities were connected to illicit drug toxicity and fentanyl, making it the fifth month in 2020 where thedeath toll has exceeded 160, and the eighth straight month with over 100 dead.

So far this yearthere have been 1,386 illicit drug deaths in the province. Males accounted for 80 per cent of the dead and 70 per cent were aged 30-59.

Chief Coroner LisaLapointesaid the COVID-19 pandemic is preventing people from accessing harm reduction services while also making the street drug supply more toxic than ever with "extreme concentration[s] of illicit fentanyl."

Data taken from post-mortem toxicology testingsuggests thenumber of cases with extreme fentanyl concentrations has increased since April 2020.

"Exacerbating this is the highly toxic drugsupply that exists in our communities right now," said Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.

"Now more than ever,we must remove the stigma of drug use and remove the shame people feel, which keeps themfrom seeking help or telling friends and family."

The effects of fentanyl are clear indata tracking back almost a decade.

In 2012, fentanyland analogues like carfentanilwere seen in five per cent of illicit drug overdoses. In 2019 that number had risen to 88 per cent.

The presence of methamphetaminein fatalities has also increased from 14to 39 per cent over the same time period. Cocaine hassteadily declined as a factor between 2012 and 2019, but it remains involved in 49 per centof 2019 deaths.

Lapointe is urging clinicians to support people at risk ofoverdose by prescribing safe pharmaceutical alternatives to toxicstreet drugs through a provincial program that was expanded earlierthis year.

B.C. declared a public health emergency in April 2016 because ofan increasing number of overdose deaths.