The South Okanagan is experiencing an uptick in overdose activity, according to Interior Health.
The health authority put out a warning that drugs in the form of “beige chunks” were being sold in the region, and they were posing a high risk of fatal overdose.
The substance, according to the warning, contains fentanyl with no additives.
Overdoses continue to mount in the Interior Health Region.
In Interior Health, there were 149 overdoses from Jan. 1 until the end of May. For the entirety of 2021, there were 376 toxic drug deaths.
In the Okanagan, specifically, there were 73 toxic drug deaths until the end of May, compared with 174 for the year previous.
Of those, in Kelowna there have been 31 deaths until May of this year. In 2021 there were 75 and in 2020 there were 61.
Vernon, however, there were 19 deaths until the end of May compared with 43 for all of 2021.
At least 195 British Columbians died from toxic illicit drugs in May, raising the total number of poisoned drug deaths in 2022 to 940.
It’s the highest number for the first five months of any calendar year in the province’s history.
“After a catastrophic 2021, I am saddened to report that we are, once again, on pace to lose a record number of our community members in 2022,” Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, said in a news release.
“The illicit drug supply in this province continues to be volatile and inconsistent, and presents a significant risk to anyone who uses drugs.”
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