The latest Albert Opioid Response Surveillance Report, covering the January to March of 2020, shows some good news for Grande Prairie.  

Grande Prairie has had three apparent accidental poisoning deaths related to fentanyl for a rate of 19.9 per 100,000 people. 

This is down considerably from last year’s rate of 32.2. In 2019, Grande Prairie’s rate was almost double each of the major cities. So far in 2020, Lethbridge, Red Deer and Edmonton are all higher. Calgary and Edmonton have the most deaths at 48 and 42.  

So far this year, Grande Prairie has had one apparent accidental drug poisoning death related to an opioid other than fentanyl for a rate of 5.3. This is the highest current rate in the province, though Edmonton has the most at four. 

The most up-to-date data shows that 142 people have died from an apparent accidental opioid poisoning in the first three months of 2020, compared to 161 of 2019’s first quarter, for an 11% decrease. Of these 135 were fentanyl.  

Fentanyl related deaths have increased from the previous quarter, however. In January to March 2020, 127 people died, while 105 died October to December 2019.  

In the first quarter of 2020, all major Alberta municipalities had a decrease in the rate of EMS responses to opioid related events per 100,000 person years compared to the 2019 annual rate. Grande Prairie saw the most significant decrease at 68%. 

Grande Prairie has also seen a decrease in visits to supervised consumption sites of 14%. Thirty adverse events were attended to by EMS at the Grande Prairie site, and there were zero fatal drug poisoning events at the site.