Paramedic services calls
Year to date: 107
Year-to-date calls for suspected opioid overdose between January 1 and August 30, 2022.
Emergency department visits
Year to date: 95
From January 1 to August 30, 2022, there were 95 visits by Halton residents to an emergency department in Ontario for a confirmed opioid overdose. This is similar to the number of visits that occurred during this period in 2021 (100 visits) or 2020 (101 visits), but lower than 2019 (161 visits). However, data from 2022 are preliminary and subject to underreporting.
Naloxone distribution and use
The Halton Region Health Department directly distributed 432 naloxone kits over the last 12 months. The most kits were distributed in Burlington, followed by Oakville. 277 (64%) of the kits distributed were refill kits.
Opioid-related deaths
There were 8 confirmed opioid-related deaths among Halton residents from January to March 2022.
Suspect drug-related deaths
There were 29 suspected drug-related deaths among Halton residents known to the Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario from January 1 to August 30, 2022. This is lower than 2021 (41 deaths) but similar to 2020 (27 deaths).
Halton compared to Ontario
Rate of emergency department visits
In 2021, the rate of emergency department visits for confirmed opioid overdose among residents of any age was 31.7 visits per 100,000 in Halton (compared to 29.6 during 2020) and 113.8 visits per 100,000 in Ontario (compared to 84.6 during 2020). From 2014 through 2021, the rate of opioid-related ED visits in Halton has been consistently lower compared to Ontario.
Rate of opioid-related deaths
In 2021, the rate of opioid-related deaths among residents of any age was 4.3 deaths per 100,000 in Halton (compared to 6.6 during 2020) and 15.8 deaths per 100,000 in Ontario (compared to 16.6 during 2020). From 2014 through 2021, the rate of opioid-related deaths in Halton has been consistently lower compared to Ontario.
Data source: Opioid-related morbidity and mortality in Ontario tool, Public Health Ontario.
Opioid reports
Opioid reporting provides a monthly snapshot of opioid activity in Halton Region. The report summarizes various indicators of opioid activity for the given month, including paramedic services calls and emergency department visits.