Opioid-related deaths in Alberta decreased significantly in March 2022

Jun 3, 2022 | 11:05 AM

EDMONTON, AB – Opioid-related deaths dropped 31 per cent in March 2022 in Alberta since peaking in December 2021.

The province issued a news released on Friday, June 3, 2022 and noted that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, jurisdictions across North America have seen record-high rates of opioid-related fatalities. Coming out of COVID-19 in Alberta, the province says these deaths are beginning to drop significantly.

Province-wide in March 2022, opioid-related fatalities totalled 120, the lowest number on record since April of 2021. Within Alberta, opioid-related deaths peaked in December at 175 and decreased in March (at 120). That’s a drop of 31 per cent.

The province noted that the peak of opioid-related fatalities in December of 2021 coincided with the peak of the Omicron wave of COVID-19 and related public health restrictions in December of 2021 and January of 2022. This trend was seen across jurisdictions in North America.

Mike Ellis, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions said, “while every loss of life is tragic, we are cautiously optimistic after seeing fatalities decrease in Alberta in March. We know that the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions caused addiction deaths to increase.”

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“We hope to see the fatality rates continue to decline as we recover from the pandemic and continue to implement strategies to address the addiction crisis,” Ellis said.

The province said opioid-related EMS responses in the week of May 23, 2022 were also the lowest on record since the first week of April 2021. Opioid-related EMS responses peaked in the last week of November 2021 and, when compared with the last week of May, have declined 62 per cent.

OPIOID AGONIST THERAPY (OAT)

The first quarter of 2021 saw more individuals prescribed evidence-based opioid agonist therapy (OAT) medications in the province. Over 7,800 Albertans are accessing Suboxone, an opioid treatment medication. Meanwhile, use of Sublocade, a 30-day injectable version of Suboxone, is also increasing, with more than 680 Albertans accessing the medication.

Alberta Health Services Opioid Dependency clinics are seeing a record number of monthly clients as well, with more than 3,700 clients in March of 2022.

by Justin Goulet