Vancouver overdose deaths reach 25 in June, while crews attended 579 OD calls

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Police Department reports 25 people died of suspected overdoses last month and first responders were called to 579 overdose calls in the city in June.

The City of Vancouver released statistics that say the fire and rescue calls to respond to an overdose last month increased by 91 per cent from June last year.

The city says in a news release that June’s figures are lower than the 667 overdose calls the fire department attended in May this year.

It says an effort by Vancouver Coastal Health to have illicit drug users alert others about contaminated drugs is a good first step to address the illicit drug supply that is killing so many British Columbians.

The city says it is on track to see more than 400 deaths this year.

More than 1,000 people died of overdoses in the province last year and the coroner says the powerful opioid fentanyl was involved in many of those deaths.