UPDATED: Grande Prairie still leading province in apparent fentanyl death rates

Nov 27, 2017 | 12:33 PM

Grande Prairie is still struggling to solve issues regarding fentanyl as the province sees a major spike in deaths related to the drug.

This year has seen 482 accidental drug overdose deaths in relation to opioids, a 40 per cent increase compared to last year, according to Alberta Health.

About 81 per cent of deaths related to fentanyl occurred in Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Lethbridge and Medicine Hat from Jan. 1, 2017 to Sept. 30, 2017.

The information comes from the Third Quarter report from the Alberta Department of Health. Issues in Grande Prairie were highlighted in the document.

“The cities of Calgary and Edmonton continue to have the highest number of apparent accidental deaths related to fentanyl,” it said.

“However, for 2017 to date, the City of Grande Prairie had the highest rate of apparent drug toxicity deaths related to fentanyl per 100,000 people.”

The report also indicated the deaths occurring that were related to an opioid other than fentanyl. Grande Prairie also led the pack there.

“The cities of Calgary and Edmonton continue to have the highest number of these deaths,” said the report.

“The City of Grande Prairie had the highest rate of apparent accidental drug toxicity deaths related to an opioid other than fentanyl per 100,000 people (year-to-date.)”

The report also said that 27,690 naloxone kits were distributed province-wide since January 1, 2016.

With files from The Canadian Press

by Jordan Parker