Emergency medical services calls
From January 2024 to November 2024:
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 600 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents. During the same period last year, Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 603 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents
On average, in the past 3 years (2021–2023):
- Greater Sudbury Paramedic Services responded to 764 calls for suspected opioid-related incidents each year
View more detailed surveillance information about opioid-related emergency medical services calls.
Emergency department visits
From January 2024 to November 2024:
- There were 355 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings. During the same period last year, there were 369 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings.
- This represents an annualized local rate of 176.8 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 175.1 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the projected Ontario rate of 72.3 visits per 100,000 population per year
On average, in the past 3 years (2021–2023):
- There were 506 visits to emergency departments in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts for confirmed opioid drug poisonings each year
- This represents a local annual rate of 241.5 visits per 100,000 population per year, compared to 200.7 visits per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate of 94.1 visits per 100,000 population per year
Suspected drug toxicity deaths
In January 2024 to November 2024:
- 124 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts. During the same period last year, 126 people died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts
- This represents an annualized local mortality rate of 61.8 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 60.8 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas are significantly higher than the Ontario rate, 22.3 deaths per 100,000 population per year
On average, in the past 3 years (2021–2023):
- 136 people per year died from a suspected drug poisoning in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts
- This represents a local annual mortality rate of 65.0 deaths per 100,000 population per year, compared to 64.2 deaths per 100,000 population per year in Northern Ontario overall. Rates in both areas were significantly higher than the Ontario rate, 25.5 deaths per 100,000 population per year
View more detailed surveillance information about local counts of suspected drug toxicity deaths.
Naloxone distribution
Naloxone (also known as Narcan®) is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid drug poisoning. You do not need a prescription or an Ontario health card to get free naloxone kits.
In the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts, naloxone is distributed by pharmacies, the Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health Sudbury & Districts along with numerous community partners including:
- community health centres (including Aboriginal health access centres)
- AIDS service organizations
- outreach organizations
- shelters
- withdrawal management programs
- hospitals
- urgent care centres
- St. John’s Ambulance
- emergency medical services
- community paramedicine
From January 2024 to October 2024:
- 27 406 doses of naloxone have distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies
- An additional 706 doses had been distributed by local pharmacies as of January 2024 (data is not yet available for all months.)
- During the same period last year, 24 244 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Réseau ACCESS Network, Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies
- An additional 568 doses had been distributed by local pharmacies as of January 2023 (data is not yet available for all months).
On average, in the past 3 years (2021–2023):
- 24 922 doses of naloxone were distributed in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts by Public Health and its partners, excluding pharmacies
- An additional 7 663 doses were distributed by local pharmacies
View more detailed surveillance information about naloxone distribution