898 Albertans died from drug overdoses in first seven months of 2021

A total of 253 overdose deaths occurred in June and July, the most recent months reported. Of those, 242 were from opioids.

Of all opioid overdose deaths this year, 74.3 per cent have been men. The most common age group is 35-39 with 141, then 30-34 with 132. Third is 25-29 with 105.

LOCAL NUMBERS

Meantime, Central Zone lost 17 lives from opioid overdoses in June and July, for a year-to-date total of 63. That’s down from 70 in the same stretch of last year.

Red Deer saw eight opioid overdose deaths in June and July, including seven in June alone. In 2021, Red Deer has lost at least 25 people to opioid overdoses. That’s down from 27 in Jan. to June 2020.

In the city — during Q2 2021 — 42 per cent of deaths took place in the person’s private residence, 25 per cent were in someone else’s home, eight per cent occurred in a public place, eight per cent were in an “other facility,” and 17 per cent occurred in a hotel.

Across Central Zone, substance use led to 287 emergency room admissions during the second quarter, up from 200 in Q1.

During Q2, the Turning Point-operated Overdose Prevention Site in Red Deer was visited 7,253 times (243 unique visitors) compared to 7,697 times (202 unique visitors) in Q1 of this year.

There were also 748 naloxone kits given out in Central Zone during Q2, the second highest total ever for the zone. The highest was 753 in Q1 2021.

View the full Alberta Substance Use Surveillance Report here.

(with files from LethbridgeNewsNOW)

by rdnewsNOW staff

898 Albertans died from drug overdoses in first seven months of 2021

What's Trending