Three local fentanyl related deaths in the first quarter of 2018

Alberta Health has released the number of fentanyl-related deaths for the first quarter of the year.

In the first four months of 2018, there were three deaths in Grande Prairie and a total of eight in the north zone. That compares to 27 deaths recorded last year locally and 10 in 2016.

Across the province so far this year, there have been 158 accidental opioid overdose deaths compared to 733 last year.

The Calgary and Edmonton zones had the highest numbers of fentanyl deaths, 75 and 46 respectively.