TORONTO -- Opioid-related deaths and emergency department visits continue to rise in Ontario.

Public Health Ontario says 435 people died from opioid overdoses between January and March - a 40 per cent increase from the 307 deaths recorded during the first quarter of 2018.

There were also 3,400 emergency room visits due to opioid overdoses from April to June.

That’s nearly a 50 per cent increase from the previous year.

In total, nearly 1,500 people died from opioid-related overdoses last year in the province.

Ontario's chief coroner says the tainted drug supply was a key contributing factor.