Purple ribbons spotlight overdoses brandonsun.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from brandonsun.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Brandon Sun
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Drug overdose deaths nearly doubled in Brandon in 2020, a trend mirrored across Manitoba.
In 2019, there were seven deaths attributed to drug overdoses reported in the city, according to Brandon police, but in 2020 that jumped to 12.
Brandon and Area Overdose Awareness chair Antoinette Gravel-Ouellette, left, and Samaritan House Ministries executive director Barbara McNish in 2020. Drug overdose deaths nearly doubled in Brandon in 2020, a trend mirrored across Manitoba. (Submitted)
Manitoba as a whole experienced 372 overdose deaths in 2020, an 87 per cent surge over the year before, according to data from Manitoba’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
The increase is staggering, said Brandon and Area Overdose Awareness chair Antoinette Gravel-Ouellette and the pandemic is largely to blame.
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An online candlelight vigil is being held tonight to honour those killed by overdose poisoning or substance use.
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An online candlelight vigil is being held tonight to honour those killed by overdose poisoning or substance use.
The Brandon and Area Overdose Awareness group is partnering with Manitoba Harm Reduction Network to host the event, which is being livestreamed for half an hour beginning at 7 p.m.
The poster for tonight s online candlelight vigil. (Submitted)
The livestream can be found on the Brandon and Area Overdose Awareness group’s namesake Facebook page.
The event is about love, care and compassion, said group representative Antoinette Gravel-Ouellette.