Two more people died in April in the West Kootenay-Boundary due to toxic drugs, according to the BC Coroners Service.
According to the latest figures out this week, they were among 119 drug-related deaths across the province that month. Of them, 68 per cent were people aged 30 to 59 and 76 per cent were male. Flurofentanyl has been detected in 67 per cent of deaths.
In March, the West Kootenay-Boundary had the highest death rate in the province by health service delivery area, with four deaths. But due to the relatively small population, two fewer deaths makes a big difference in the rate: in April, the region was in the middle of the pack.
Year to date, there have been 16 deaths in our region.
In the East Kootenay, there were no deaths in April, for the second straight month. There have been five deaths so far this year.
Community-by-community totals are only released twice per year, in June and December.
