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HAMILTON — The City of Hamilton says it’s seen the rate of opioid-related deaths nearly double from 2016 to 2017.

City data says that 70 people died of causes related to opioids between January and October of last year.

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The data says another five deaths, that were still under investigation when the numbers were compiled, are probably related to opioids.

In comparison, the city says 41 people died due to opioids during the same time period in 2016.

The city says its 2017 opioid-related death rate was 78 per cent higher than the provincial average, while the number was 48 per cent over the Ontario average the year before.

The province announced last week there were 1,053 opioid-related deaths from January to October 2017, compared with 694 during the same time frame in 2016.

Hamilton says it’s opioid-related death rate has consistently been above the provincial average since 2005.