The figure is the second-highest toll behind the 162 deaths that were recorded in December 2016. VICTORIA—British Columbia’s death rate from illicit drug overdoses has spiked with the coroner recording 161 deaths in March. government declared a public health emergency over the crisis two years ago, but the death toll hasn’t abated. The coroner says more than 1,400 residents died from suspected illicit drug overdoses last year. Vancouver had 102 suspected overdose deaths in the first three months of 2018, an average of 34 per month, which is up from the 2017 average of 30.5 per month, the coroner said.

Source: thestar May 10, 2018 22:41 UTC