Opioid Surveillance
Most Recent Update: 2023-10-31
The Porcupine Health Unit publishes opioid surveillance information to help inform members of our communities. By collaborating with our partners across the region, opioid-related information can be provided in a timely manner. Public alerts may also be issued across the region if toxic opioids or contaminants are found in the drug supply, or when there are significant increases in opioid incidents.
- This data includes cases where the responding paramedic suspects opioid involvement. This may differ from the final diagnosis or cause of death.
- This data only includes instances in which 911 was called, and are only an estimate of the total number of overdoses in the community.
- This data is preliminary and subject to change pending further review.
- Due to the weekly nature of the reporting, totals in months are approximate as some weeks incorporate the end of one month and the beginning of another month.
Figure 1: Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services calls for suspected opioid-related incidents, by month, 2023.
Figure 2: Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services calls for suspected opioid-related incidents, by month, 2022.
Figure 3: Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services calls for suspected opioid-related incidents, by month, 2021.
Table 1: Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services calls for suspected opioid-related incidents, by month, 2020-2023.
| Month - Year | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
| January | 11 | 26 | 27 | 22 |
| February | 9 | 15 | 18 | 12 |
| March | 24 | 25 | 18 | 33 |
| April | 22 | 25 | 20 | 16 |
| May | 18 | 14 | 15 | 20 |
| June | 26 | 37 | 14 | 15 |
| July | 19 | 21 | 19 | 12 |
| August | 27 | 36 | 20 | 31 |
| September | 49 | 34 | 29 | 7 |
| October | 30 | 26 | 13 | 17 |
| November | 13 | 38 | 26 | |
| December | 21 | 34 | 21 | |
| TOTAL | 269 | 321 | 240 | 185 |
Source: Cochrane District Emergency Medical Services, October 31, 2023.
Public Health Ontario
Table 2: Confirmed Opioid-Related Emergency Department Visits, by month, Porcupine Heath Unit Region, 2018–2023.
| Month - Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022* | 2023* |
| January | 1 | 6 | 10 | 24 | 22 | 21 |
| February | 3 | 17 | 7 | 14 | 16 | 13 |
| March | 5 | 9 | 19 | 13 | 7 | 8 |
| April | 12 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 16 | |
| May | 3 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 12 | |
| June | 6 | 19 | 11 | 24 | 9 | |
| July | 10 | 7 | 16 | 17 | 13 | |
| August | 4 | 5 | 22 | 21 | 16 | |
| September | 6 | 5 | 30 | 23 | 12 | |
| October | 5 | 7 | 22 | 15 | 10 | |
| November | 9 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 11 | |
| December | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 17 | |
| TOTAL | 72 | 132 | 192 | 211 | 161 |
*Asterisk denotes preliminary data
Source: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Interactive Opioid Tool (https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-analysis/ substance-use/interactive-opioid-tool). Accessed on October 31, 2023.
Table 3: Opioid-related deaths among Porcupine Health Unit residents, by month, 2018–2022
| Month - Year | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022* |
| January | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| February | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| March | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| April | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| May | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| June | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 |
| July | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| August | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| September | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 |
| October | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| November | 4 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| December | 1 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 1 |
| TOTAL | 13 | 22 | 40 | 40 | 31 |
*Asterisk denotes preliminary data
Source: Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Interactive Opioid Tool (https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/data-and-analysis/ substance-use/interactive-opioid-tool). Accessed on October 31, 2023.