Opioids killed more people in Ontario in the second year of the pandemic compared to the first year, but the province saw a decline in those deaths last March, according to newly released data.

Preliminary data from the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario shows about eight people dying daily from opioids in the second year of the pandemic.

From April 2021 to March 2022, 2,790 opioid-related deaths were recorded, a slight increase from 2,727 deaths in the first year of the pandemic.

These were big jumps since 2019, when opioids killed 1,559 Ontario residents — about four people daily.

Dr. Dirk Huyer, Ontario's chief coroner, said in an interview: "It’s ongoing, it’s bad, and it got worse during the pandemic."

But the data also shows the death rate fell by 10 percent in the first quarter of this year compared to the same timeframe last year.

Huyer said the data is considered preliminary because it includes confirmed and suspected opioid-related deaths and is subject to change. "Should we celebrate the fact that we’re down 10 percent?"

"We still have a lot of people dying, but, yes, we’re not continuing to go up, and that’s a good thing." The total number of deaths dropped by 31 percent in March 2022 compared to March 2021.

Ontario lifted most COVID-19 restrictions that month, although Huyer said at this stage that’s just an association, not necessarily the reason for the decline.