TORONTO (World) – Opioid-related deaths in Canada have been on the rise since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, according to the country’s chief public health officer, Theresa Tam.
British Columbia has been reported by Tam as the epicentre of the country’s overdose crisis. Over 100 deaths have been reported from illicit drugs in March and April.
“These data indicate a very worrying trend. It has been over a year since British Columbia observed numbers this high sustained over a two-month period.”
– Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer
Tam added that this is a nationwide trend and Toronto’s paramedic service reported April as to having the highest number of opioid-related deaths in a month since September 2017.
In March, the federal government announced a loosening of restrictions on pharmacists to prescribe safe drug alternatives.
The pandemic affected drug supply chains greatly by closing borders leading to a higher death rate, according to Guy Felicella, a peer clinical advisor with the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use.
“When (drugs become) more challenging to get, the potency goes up, the price goes up, everything goes up, and in that sense, it becomes more deadly by the day. You can’t blame COVID for your lack of response in addressing the overdose crisis.”
– Guy Felicella, peer clinical advisor with British Columbia Centre on Substance Use
(Photo syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.