Overdose deaths in Kamloops for the year nearly doubled in the month of April alone.

There were 11 overdose deaths reported between January and March, and data released today up to the end of April now shows there have been 18 overdose deaths in Kamloops this year.

Province-wide, 117 people died of an illicit drug overdose in April, according to the BC Coroners Service. That ties for the most overdose deaths in any month since December of 2018; there were also 117 overdose deaths in March of 2019.

There have now been 382 overdose deaths in B.C. reported this year, and 302 of those have been men. Kamloops has the fifth-highest number of overdose deaths among B.C. cities, behind Vancouver (90), Surrey (48), Victoria (28) and Kelowna (19).

Fentanyl also continues to be detected in more than 80 per cent of overdose deaths in this province.

More to come. Watch this story for updates.