Another five people have died due to toxic drugs in Kamloops taking the total on the year to 67, with two months of data from the BC Coroners Service still to come.

New preliminary figures released Thursday shows Kamloops is on pace for 80 such deaths this year, which would make 2023 the second deadliest year on record, behind the 92 that were reported in 2022.

Across British Columbia, there were 189 toxic drug deaths reported in October – an average of 6.1 people a day – making it the 37th consecutive month with at least 150 such deaths.

“Toxicological testing confirms that the unregulated drug supply in the province remains dangerous and volatile. Illicit fentanyl and its analogues are present in 85 per cent of expedited test results, often in combination with other opioids and/or stimulants, including cocaine and methamphetamine,” a statement from the BC Coroners Service said.

“The BC Coroners Service continues to monitor closely for the presence of prescribed safer-supply medications in its testing, with hydromorphone detected in approximately 4 per cent of tests.”

As has been the case in the past, the Coroners say a majority of people dying due to toxic drugs are men between the age of 30 and 59.

There have been 2,039 toxic drug deaths across B.C. this year, putting the province on pace for2,447 deaths this year, making 2023 the deadliest year on record.

You can find more information from the BC Coroners Service here.