Glen Walker, the Executive Director of Positive Living in Niagara calls the recent opioid statistics in the region an “epidemic within a pandemic” as 193 people have died in 2020 of overdoses, up from 116 the year before and just over 80 the year before that.
According to the most recent statistics from Niagara Region’s website, from January to February 2021 alone, there were 119 suspected opioid overdoses that have been responded to by EMS.
From the Region’s website:
Suspected opioid overdoses responded to by Niagara Region Emergency Medical Services (2018 – 2021)
- From January to February 2021, there were 119 suspected opioid overdoses that have been responded to by EMS
- In 2020, there were 625 suspected opioid overdoses that have been responded to by EMS.
- 75% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in males
- 63% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in individuals aged 25-44
- 46% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in St. Catharines while 24% occurred in Niagara Falls
- In 2019, there were 499 suspected opioid overdoses that have been responded to by EMS
- 75% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in males
- 63% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in individuals aged 25-44
- 49% of EMS calls related to suspected opioid overdoses occurred in St. Catharines while 24% occurred in Niagara Falls
Walker says the pandemic and the isolation is having a big impact on the numbers, noting that coroner reports show that 38% of the people who died are reported to have been all alone.
Public Health Ontario’s website states that: the number of opioid-related deaths increased quickly in the weeks following the state of emergency declaration in Ontario on March 17, 2020. Overall, there was a 38.2% increase in opioid-related deaths in the first 15 weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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