CBC<\/a><\/noindex>.<\/p>\n“We are releasing this information as it is believed likely the extreme weather B.C. has experienced in the past week is a significant contributing factor to the increased number of deaths,” Lisa Lapointe, chief coroner, said in a release. <\/p>\n
This comes after a dangerous and unrelenting heatwave crushed temperature records across the province.<\/p>\n
Earlier this week, police in Metro Vancouver said they experienced a spike in calls related to sudden deaths under the oppressive heat. <\/p>\n
Lapointe says the coroners service received an unprecedented number of reports of sudden and unexpected deaths throughout the province from last Friday to Thursday.<\/p>\n
She says British Columbia had seen only three heat-related deaths in the past three to five years before the heatwave. <\/p>\n
“Many of our health services, our first responders, we haven’t experienced anything like this in the province previously. It took a bit of time for us to ramp up our response,” Lapointe said in a briefing earlier this week. <\/p>\n
As the heatwave warning has ended throughout many parts of the province, Lapointe says the coroners service is seeing a downward trend in deaths reported in the last few days.<\/p>\n
For parts of the province still experiencing unusually high temperatures, Lapointe says it remains important for people to take extra precautions and check on those who live alone.<\/p>\n
“Whenever possible, people are encouraged to visit cooler environments,” Lapointe said.<\/p>\n
She says many of the deaths reported over the past week were among older individuals living alone in private residences.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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