No unregulated drug deaths recorded in Merritt in 2026

There were 119 unregulated-drug toxicity  deaths recorded in the province in April , however the Merritt region remains virtually unscathed according to the B.C. Coroners Service preliminary data reported last week.

The reports says the April numbers translates into four toxic drug deaths in the province on average per day.

In total for 2026 there have been 522 confirmed deaths due to unregulated-drug deaths so far with those between the ages of 30 and 59 have accounted for 68% of drug-toxicity deaths in the province, and 76% were male.

There have been no unregulated drug deaths in 2026, in the Merritt region compared to six recorded in 2025.

By health authority in 2026, the highest number of unregulated-drug deaths were in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser health authorities (145 and 134 deaths respectively), making up 53% of all such deaths.

So far in 2026, 81% of unregulated drug deaths occurred inside in places such as private residences, social and supportive housing, single-room occupancies, shelters and other locations, and 18% occurred outside in places such as vehicles, sidewalks, streets and parks.

The report also notes that fluorofentanyl was detected in 67% of those tested, followed by cocaine (57%), fentanyl (56%), and methamphetamine (54%).