December 11, 2023

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The primary six months of 2023 noticed 16 folks in Fort McMurray die from drug poisonings, in response to information from Alberta Well being, and 12 of these deaths included opioids. The information additionally reveals methamphetamine was current in at the least 5 deaths, cocaine was current in three deaths and alcohol was present in two deaths.

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Final yr throughout the identical interval, 9 folks in Fort McMurray died from drug poisonings . A complete of 19 folks died in 2022.

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Between January and June, about 62 per cent of deaths in Fort McMurray occurred contained in the particular person’s house and 11 per cent of deaths had been in another person’s house. Greater than 15 per cent of deaths had been reported in one other facility. The remaining 12 per cent of deaths occurred both in public or in a lodge room.

As of Sept. 24, Emergency Medical Providers (EMS) have responded to 60 calls associated to drug poisonings in Fort McMurray. EMS responded to 100 calls associated to drug poisonings in 2022.

Alberta reported 990 deaths from drug poisonings throughout the first six months of 2023. Drug poisoning throughout Alberta killed 161 folks in June. One other 10 deaths had been added to Might’s depend, bringing the demise toll to 166 folks.

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April has been 2023’s deadliest month for drug poisonings after 192 deaths had been reported. This matched the demise toll for November 2021. That makes these two months the deadliest months for Alberta for the reason that province started publicly monitoring drug poisonings in 2016.

Fort McMurray is included as one in all seven Alberta cities that Alberta Well being tracks for drug poisonings. However rural Alberta is included in regional counts, together with the agricultural hamlets and Indigenous communities of Fort McMurray Wooden Buffalo.

First Nation chiefs within the area mentioned in early September that suicides and substance abuse have killed greater than 60 folks within the 5 First Nations. When Alberta lifted most pandemic restrictions in March 2022, COVID-19 had killed two residents within the area’s rural and Indigenous communities, and 23 folks in Fort McMurray.

The chiefs of those communities have declared a state of emergency as they demand improved entry to psychological well being and habit assist of their communities.

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