Clearing up inaccurate reports on opioid overdose deaths in Lethbridge

However, they clarified that there have not been 13 deaths in the community related to opioid overdoses.

“An unverified and inaccurate number was provided anecdotally at an internal staff meeting, during a discussion on opioid-related emergencies in Lethbridge,” reads the statement from AHS.

According to the 2020 first quarter Alberta Opioid Response Surveillance Report, six people in Lethbridge have died as a result of apparent accidental drug poisoning related to fentanyl in the first three months of the year. We have reached out to the Medical Examiner’s Office to confirm if there have been any opioid overdose deaths in Lethbridge in just the last week.

The statement continued to say that health officials are working closely to ensure that anyone with an addiction can receive the care, support, and treatment that they need.

“This includes opening an Overdose Prevention Service (OPS) in Lethbridge.”

LNN is working to confirm the details of the OPS.

Until the provincial government is able to send a new temporary SCS to Lethbridge, the Supervised Consumption Site will remain open.

The following statistics on Lethbridge’s SCS, as provided by ARCHES between February 2018 and June 30, 2020, are as follows:

444,776 visits to SCS
1,648 unique individuals who have accessed the SCS
3,590 medical emergencies responded to
10,765 referrals made to external service providers
28,164 medical services provided

by David Opinko

Clearing up inaccurate reports on opioid overdose deaths in Lethbridge

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