The Yukon Coroner’s Service is investigating eight deaths which occurred between April 7 and 27.

All are suspected to be related to substance use, chief coroner Heather Jones confirmed to the Star Monday.

She said her office hopes to have preliminary toxicological analysis for all the cases available by the end of this week.

Full analysis will not be available for a number of months.

Late last week, the Blood Ties Four Directions Centre issued an alert that recent opioid test samples have shown higher levels of fentanyl and benzos than usual.

On Apr. 20, Jones reported that substance use was believed to have taken four Yukoners’ lives between Apr. 15 and Apr. 18.

Two of the deceased were from Whitehorse, one from Watson Lake and one from Haines Junction.

They were between 27 and 52 years old, and three were members of First Nations.