The overdose deaths continue in Washington State and Yakima County.even after a year of a pandemic which saw a lot of people die of drug overdoses.

STATEWIDE DRUG OVERDOSES INCREASED BY 30% LAST YEAR

According to Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice more people died of drug overdoses in the state of Washington in 2020 than any other year in at least the last decade. Fatal drug overdoses increased by more than 30% last year compared to 2019. That's an increase more than twice as large as any other year over the last decade. Nationwide according to the Associated Press "overdose deaths soared to a record 93,000 last year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government estimate released Wednesday eclipses the 72,000 drug overdose deaths in 2019 and amounts to a 29% increase."

DEADLY DRUGS ARE KILLING PEOPLE IN YAKIMA

The Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice says 2020 was not only a deadly year around the state but also in Yakima County with more overdose deaths in the county in 2020 than the previous two years. Last year Curtice says 75 people died of a drug overdose with half of the overdoses being related to the deadly drug fentanyl. 50 people died of an overdose in all of 2019 in Yakima County. 38 overdosed and died in 2018 in the county.
So far this year Curtice says 54 suspected overdose cases have been reported in Yakima with 23 related to fentanyl. Curtice says it's possible this year the county numbers could match or surpass the high number of overdose deaths seen last year in Yakima County.

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