The CDC predicts there will be record breaking amount of drug overdoses as the number continues to rise.
Just as the opioid epidemic seemed to settle in 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 caused a ripple effect of death from the disease, and an increase in addiction -- again.
The newest data shows JFRD is getting more overdose calls, using naloxone at an increased rate again.
In February 2018, JFRD had 93 opioid related overdoses, one of the lowest in years
Then in June of 2020, it was up to 348. April 2021 -- 301 opioid related overdoses.
“We are experiencing a high number of drug overdoses recently in our area with the latest count at 10, including one death. Investigators attribute this spike in overdoses to the highly addictive drug Fentanyl. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain generally prescribed following surgery. It is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine,” said a post from the St. Mary’s Police Department.
We first started covering the opioid epidemic here in 2016, and it is concerning to see the numbers rising so quickly again. We have a section on news4jax.com for anyone seeking help or wants to learn more about addiction.