An additional five suspected fatal drug poisonings in July has pushed the Peterborough area’s death total to 43 so far in 2023.
Peterborough Public Health’s opioid harms portal reports there were five suspected fatal overdoses in July, on par with the number reported for June. The health unit’s jurisdiction encompasses Peterborough, Peterborough County, Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation.
There were a record-high 59 suspected fatal drug poisonings for the region in 2022 — approximately one every seven days.
If the current trend continues (with about 6.1 deaths per month), the region is on pace for approximately 73 fatal drug overdoses for the year.
For the past 12 calendar months (Aug. 1, 2022 to July 31, 2023), there have been 72 suspected drug-related deaths — approximately one death every six days, the health unit says.
The latest data comes as the health unit extended a drug alert this week following 17 suspected drug poisonings reported over the Civic Holiday long weekend.
“Drugs that have been tainted is causing the toxic drug supply, and this is just one piece of the puzzle in order to address harms,” said Benifica Lawrence, the health unit’s substance-use prevention and harm-reduction health promoter
Emergency department visits
Visits to the ER at Peterborough Regional Health Centre for drug poisonings also jumped in July, reaching a total of 37 — up from 32 in June and 25 in May.
From Jan. 1 to July 31, there have been 232 visits to the ER for overdoses. There were 539 visits for all of 2022.
Over the last 12 calendar months, there were 428 visits to the ER. Of those visits, 56 per cent were men and 53 per cent of individuals were between the ages of 25 and 44, the health unit reports.
Randy Mellow, chief of the Peterborough County-City Paramedics, said while staff remain busy, there has been a “downward trend” in drug-related responses.
“Since June of 2022, we’ve seen a downward trend in our calls per day associated with overdose or overdose crisis,” he said. “But over the past several weeks we’re seeing an increase again.”
911 calls:
Calls to 911 for opioid poisonings also surged in July with 35, up from 25 reported a month earlier.
The total number of calls to 911 so far this year stands at 182, approximately 26 calls a month.
Last year, emergency crews responded to 358 calls for drug poisonings, averaging 30 a month, or one per day.
Mellow said recent investments in better supports for those battling addictions are starting to pay dividends.
“I think there could be some anecdotal correlation at least to some of the harm reduction strategies, (such as) the opening of the CTS (consumption treatment site), but I think there’s more that needs to be done,” he said.
Detox centre opening
Another service to help those facing addictions is a new 12-bed detox centre in the city’s northeast end. The provincial government in May announced more than $1 million for the facility, which includes six residential treatment beds and six withdrawal management beds
“We are on track for mid-fall for it to open its doors,” Peterborough-Kawartha Conservative MPP Dave Smith said.
Unlike most rehabilitation centres, this site will include a 35-day stay, Smith said. It will be based at a current safe-bed building at 24 Paddoock Wood used by the Canadian Mental Health Association.
“You’re not left on your own right after you leave rehab,” Smith said. “You’re brought into a community-based service as well and followed after that, to make sure you’re going to be successful.”
Smith noted that the centre’s impact and results won’t be noticeable right away, but he expects it will be months until the community will see “noticeable change.”
— with files from Robert Lothian/Global News Peterborough
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