Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services saw an “extremely” high spike in overdose calls for the week of Apr. 23-29 compared to last year’s weekly average.
At 207, they were 74 per cent higher than the weekly average in the city’s worst year for overdoses.
Vancouver also saw the biggest single day for overdose calls in the last 14 months on Sunday.
WATCH: Record drug overdose deaths in BC in 2017
Vancouver police also reported an increase of suspected overdose deaths, from four in the previous week to seven last week.
Police have reported 108 suspected overdose deaths in the city so far this year.
“We saw an alarming spike in the number of overdoses last week due to a poisoned supply of drugs that is currently on the streets of Vancouver,” Mayor Gregor Robertson said in a news release.
“Lives are on the line and we will keep pushing for policy changes that will make sure people have access to safe prescription drugs rather than being forced to turn to deadly street drugs.”
According to the BC Coroners Service, 365 people died of an illicit drug overdose in Vancouver in 2017. That’s an average of one death per day.
WATCH: Spike in overdose calls in Penticton overwhelms frontline workers
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