Prince George failed to escape the rising wave of drug-related overdose deaths last month.
In all eight such deaths were recorded in the city in July, figures issued Tuesday by the B.C. Coroners Office show - the biggest monthly count so far this year - bringing the year-to-date total to 22, just three shy of the tally for all of 2019.
At 49, 2018 was the worst year on record for the city.
Seven of the deaths in July involved fentanyl.
"The tragic increase in overdose deaths is a reminder that we need to remain aggressive in our commitment to provide harm reduction and other supports to this vulnerable population," Northern Health Medical Health Officer Rakel Kling said in a statement.
"We are in a dual health care crisis, and while that makes the work we have to do more complex, we need to continue to work with our communities and partners to provide innovative services to this population where they are at.
"Overdose prevention services, harm reduction and medical supports, access to mental and substance abuse programs are some of the tools we have implemented and we will continue to grow in communities across the North.
"We also know that we can’t ignore the basic determinants of health - housing, employment, etc., that are so important in preventing entry into the cycle."
Province-wide, British Columbia's chief coroner said 175 people fatally overdosed in July, matching the same total in June as access to harm-reduction services such as a safer supply of drugs remains a challenge.
Lisa Lapointe said a disruption in the typical supply of drugs due to border closures during the pandemic has led to the trafficking of substances with extreme concentrations of illicit fentanyl.
July's death toll represents a 136 per cent increase over the 74 deaths during the same month last year.
B.C. set a monthly overdose record in May, when 171 people died.
Almost 6,000 people have fatally overdosed in the province since 2015 before a provincial health emergency that is still in effect was declared by the province in 2016.
Last week, Canada's chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam called for the decriminalization of small amounts of drugs for personal use to help address the recent increase in fatal overdoses, especially in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
- with files from The Canadian Press
