Between 15 to 20 people have suffered drug related deaths in central Vancouver Island between January and April this year… closing in on the annual average for the region over the past three years.
Island Medical Officer of Health Dr. Paul Hasselback says the introduction of fentanyl into the street drug market has contributed to the increase of overdose deaths in the past three years.
The provincial health officer declared a public health emergency across BC on Thursday. There were 76 drug-related deaths province-wide in January , which is the largest number of deaths in a single month since at least 2007.
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