There were six more toxic drug deaths in Kamloops in January this year, according to new preliminary data from the BC Coroners Service.

Across the province, they say there were 211 such deaths in the first month of 2023, an average of 6.8 deaths each day.

The BC Coroners Service note the toxic drug death rate in January was 47 per 100,000 individuals, more than double the 20.5 per 100,000 people back in 2016, the year the public-health emergency was declared

“Once again, our agency is reporting on preventable losses of life in heart-breaking numbers,” Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe, said, noting January was the eighth time in the past 16 months where there have been more than 200 such deaths.

“We are nearing the seventh anniversary of the declaration of the public-health emergency into substance-related harms, and the drug-poisoning crisis continues to cost lives and communities at an unprecedented rate.”

Of the 211 toxic drug deaths in January, 12 were within the Thompson Cariboo Shuswap health service delivery area for a rate of 57.7 deaths per 100,000 people. Interior Health meanwhile say a total of 31 deaths due to the toxic drug supply in January.

The Coroners also says there were three additional toxic drug deaths in Kamloops in 2022, taking the total on the year to 93. That set a new record for the third straight year, after 77 in 2021, and 60 the year before.

At least 11,195 deaths have been caused by illicit drug toxicity since the public-health emergency was first declared in April 2016.

“Toxic drugs pose a constant and ever-present danger to anyone who uses drugs,” Lapointe added. “Anyone using any substance purchased on the unregulated illicit drug market is at risk of serious harm or death.”