Rising cases of overdoses in Ontario

QMI agency

Thursday, 7 December 2017 17:15

UPDATE
Thursday, 7 December 2017 17:18

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TORONTO | The number of overdose deaths in Ontario reached 330 between may and July 2017, an increase of 68 % compared to the same period last year, according to data from the office of the chief coroner of the province.

In addition, from July to September last year, there has been “2449 emergency department visits related to overdoses of opioids compared with 1896, in the course of the previous three months, which represents an increase of 29 per cent”, is there shown.

“Every life lost because of this crisis of opioids is a preventable tragedy,” said ontario minister of Health and long-term Care, dr. Eric Hoskins.

In the Face of these new data of concern which indicate that in opioid-related deaths continue to rise, Ontario announced on Thursday that all police forces in the province, as well as all of the 447 municipal fire departments to full-time will have a kit of naloxone, an antidote to opioids such as fentanyl.

These kits are also available free of charge in pharmacies and to community agencies and eligible health, stressed the authorities.

Opioid consumption could be approximately 3,000 deaths in Canada this year. Western canada is particularly hard hit. In Quebec, the government announced in November that relatives of consumers of opioids may obtain a free copy of the naloxone.

“Every day, this crisis costs the lives of people of all backgrounds and from all regions of the country. And the number continues to grow. I believe that a comprehensive whole of government response is needed to address this crisis,” responded Thursday to the federal minister of Health, Ginette Petitpas Taylor.