A federal report says in 2016, almost 4,000 Canadians died of an overdose of opioid painkillers. The office of the Coroner for Ontario reports there were 16 opioid-related deaths in Peterborough in 2016, but Peterborough Public Health admits that number could change.
“Now that number could be higher locally for people who maybe won’t have Peterborough listed addresses,” says Peterborough Public Health health promoter Deanna Vandenbroek.
In other words, the victims could be from out of town or else homeless. Peterborough paramedic Chris Smith is working with Peterborough Public Health to get a better handle on the numbers using data collected by paramedics when they respond to a suspected opioid overdose.
“From June 1, 2017 to January 22, 2018, we had 134 suspected opioid overdose calls. In that time frame there were three cardiac arrests, two of which were declared dead after arriving at Peterborough Hospital, and one who was pronounced dead on scene,” says Smith.
Smith adds 82 per cent of their calls for opioid overdoses originate in a residence and 62 per cent occur in a three square kilometre area centred on downtown Peterborough.