Overdose deaths hit new highs as pandemics exacerbate opioid crisis

New federal data show that the coronavirus pandemic contributes to the country’s most deadly 12-month period of drug overdose deaths, including a surge in deaths from overdose in the Ohio Valley. I am.

by Latest data According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 81,000 people died from drug overdose during the 12 months from May 2019 to May 2020.This is the highest number of overdose deaths recorded in a year and has been reported to federal agencies. Health recommendations Make recommendations to address this proliferation of deaths.

In Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky each reported a 22% increase in mortality from overdose compared to the same period last year, while Ohio recorded a 13% increase.

In West Virginia, overdose deaths per 100,000 people have been high in the last 12 months since January 2015, when the CDC began recording estimates of overdose deaths.

The numbers support fears by public health officials that pandemic stress and isolation will exacerbate the crisis of addiction.

Vulnerable people became more vulnerable than ever when the coronavirus epidemic stagnated lives and disrupted the economy in early March. Mental health helplines suggest that the collapse of a pandemic will be a more difficult financial and emotional challenge after the state imposes a blockade and calls on people to reduce their external activities. I started seeing a surge in phone calls.

People suffering from drug addiction are also faced with the disruption of support systems and treatments needed to stay calm or survive.

“The disruption of daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit people with substance use disorders,” CDC director Robert Redfield said in a December 17 report. ..

“As we continue to fight to end this pandemic, it is important not to lose sight of the various groups that are otherwise affected. We need to take care of those who suffer from unintended consequences. Yes, “Redfield added.

Drug overdose mortality had already increased before the pandemic, but these were accelerated by the pandemic, with more per capita overdose mortality than at least seen since January 2015. I am.

This increased mortality from overdose is primarily caused by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl. This is related to the Ohio Valley. Opioid crisis It has already claimed the lives of thousands and is driving families into poverty and turmoil.

Overdose killed more than 7,300 people in the Ohio Valley during the 12 months to the end of May, according to the latest data. It’s about 1,090 in West Virginia, 4,647 in Ohio, and 1,645 in Kentucky.

In West Virginia, 61 people per 100,000 overdose fatally in 12 months, compared to 49 per 100,000 a year ago. During the same period, about 37 out of 100,000 Kentuckies and 40 out of 100,000 Ohio died from drug overdose. In contrast, a year ago there were 30 and 35, respectively.

The number of fatal overdose began to decline in the Ohio Valley from mid-2017 to the fall of 2019. Not only has the recovery reversed with the fuel supplied by the coronavirus, but the region, especially West Virginia, is now facing an exacerbating opioid crisis.

Meanwhile, the CDC has made public health departments, physicians, first responders, harm reduction organizations, and community members aware of the latest numbers and has made recommendations such as early intervention and increased use of the overdose naloxone. ..

“There are concerns about an increase in deaths from overdose,” said Deb Houry, director of the CDC’s National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The CDC Injury Center supports and continues to support communities in response to the evolving overdose crisis,” she said. “Our priority is to do everything we can to equip people on earth to save the lives of our communities.”

The data released by the CDC is tentative and means that these numbers are subject to change. Also, since the data are only recorded until May 2020, this only captures the early part of the pandemic and its combined effect on addiction. Overdose may have increased further, especially in Ohio, which has implemented stricter guidelines since the summer when coronavirus cases began to surge in the region.

Although it may be difficult to pinpoint how patients with substance abuse disorders are addressing the effects of COVID-19, anecdotal evidence suggests an increasing level of anxiety among people across the country. I am. The deployment of the COVID-19 vaccine may have calmed some nerves, but it will take months for life to return to normal.

Until then, the potential for fatal drug overdose is imminent. If that happens, these states may be considering the emergence of a worsening public health crisis in addition to what they are currently dealing with.