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By Shane Clausing

OPIOID CRISIS

Grande Prairie records six opioid-related deaths between September & October

Dec 22, 2021 | 5:08 PM

Alberta Health says new figures released Wednesday show there were six more people who died as a result of opioid-related poisoning in Grande Prairie between September and October this year.

Five people died from opioid-related poisonings in September while one passed away in October. To date, there have been 39 opioid-related deaths in the Swan City, an increase of three from 2020’s total.

Of those 39 opioid-linked deaths recorded so far this year in Grande Prairie, 36 were linked to non-pharmaceutical opioids such as fentanyl and its analogues, heroin, and designer opiates.

September and October so far ended up becoming the two deadliest opioid months this year in Alberta. There were a total of 294 opioid-related fatalities over the two months. There were 146 opioid fatalities in September and 148 in October.

September and October of 2021 were also two of the three deadliest months in terms of opioid-related deaths in the province over the last five years.

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July 2020 was the deadliest month on record, which saw 159 deaths in one month.

Since January, there have been 1,372 deaths across Alberta. There were 1,351 opioid fatalities in the province last year.

2020 and 2021 have been the two deadliest years in the province so far in the opioid crisis.

On a year-over-year basis, Grande Prairie saw 36 opioid fatalities in 2020 and has currently reported 39 in 2021.

The full report can be found here.