Overdose deaths have tripled in Kamloops, continue to rise in Kelowna

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Newly released numbers from the B.C. Coroners Service shows drug overdose deaths are becoming more common in the Thompson-Okanagan.

Compared to last year, overdose deaths in Kamloops have more than tripled. There were seven overdose deaths in the city in 2015 and from January to the end of August of this year, there have been 25.

In Kelowna, deaths have grown to 31 so far this year, compared to 20 for all of last year.

Across the Interior Health Authority's jurisdiction, there have been 93 illicit drug overdoses from January to the end of August this year. In 2015, there were 65 fatal overdoses in the region.

There have been 555 fatal drug overdoses across the province so far this year, already surpassing last year's total of 508.

The majority of these deaths have been attributed to fentanyl.

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