Published Friday, February 12, 2021 6:07PM EST TPH confirmed that Toronto Paramedic Services responded to 38 calls for suspected opioid overdose deaths last month, which prompted a drug alert to be issued. This is the highest number of opioid overdose-related deaths reported by paramedics in a month since we began monitoring in 2017, TPH said in a release. It surpassed the previous high of 34 opioid deaths recorded in December 2020. TPH noted that their data does not capture all drug-related deaths. On the last weekend of January, TPH said the city s paramedic services received the highest number of suspected opioid overdose calls in a 24-hour period, attending to 40 incidents.
TORONTO The city set a grim new record in January after 38 people died due to a suspected opioid overdose, Toronto Public Health said Friday. TPH confirmed that Toronto Paramedic Services responded to 38 calls for suspected opioid overdose deaths last month, which prompted a drug alert to be issued. This is the highest number of opioid overdose-related deaths reported by paramedics in a month since we began monitoring in 2017, TPH said in a release. It surpassed the previous high of 34 opioid deaths recorded in December 2020. TPH noted that their data does not capture all drug-related deaths. On the last weekend of January, TPH said the city s paramedic services received the highest number of suspected opioid overdose calls in a 24-hour period, attending to 40 incidents.