Opioid overdoses rose during pandemic
More people overdosed on opioids – including heroin, fentanyl, and OxyContin – in 2020 than in previous years. That’s the suggestion of preliminary data from the University of Michigan.
The U of M Injury Prevention Center tracks overdose data for every county in Michigan via an online dashboard.
As of New Year’s Eve, 2,141 in Michigan had died of an opioid overdose during 2020. That’s compared to 2,036 in 2018. Data from March to September showed 15% increase in overdoses compared to the same period in 2019.
There is much speculation that the pandemic and related stay-at-home measures may have led to the rise in overdoses, but experts insist it’s impossible to make that connection.
You can read more on Michigan Radio.
Support local. Donate today to Kalamazoo's only locally owned and independent daily news organization.
