Coroner says there's been a sharp spike in females dying from illicit drugs in B.C.

Illicit drug deaths are down slightly in British Columbia from the same period last year, but the coroners service says females are dying at a much higher rate.

The service says in a statement that 26 per cent of the 1,749 toxicity deaths so far this year were women or girls, and the rate of death among females is up 60 per cent from four years ago.

There were 187 overdose deaths in B.C. in August and 183 in September.

The service says the nine-month total is an eight per cent decrease from the same period last year, although it still represents about six people a day dying from unregulated drugs.

Just under half of those who died were between the ages of 30 and 49 years old.

The potent opioid fentanyl remains the primary cause, and was detected in 85 per cent of the drug deaths.