There appears to be a slight increase in the number of people who died in 2020 from a drug overdose in Westmoreland County, after two consecutive years of decline.
Provincial autopsy statistics show that 102 people died from a drug overdose last year and another 19 cases are suspected.
This would yield a 5% increase over the 2019 figures if the 19 suspected cases are confirmed by toxicology.
After achieving a record high of 193 drug overdose deaths in 2017, the province showed 122 deaths in 2018 and 115 in 2019.
“We’ve been in decline for a few years,” said coroner Ken Bacha.
Powerful opioid fentanyl remains the biggest killer, contributing to 91 of the 102 confirmed deaths, according to 91 statistics.
Those recovering from a drug abuse problem find themselves in a difficult situation for much of 2020, as support organizations and rehabilitation and treatment centers have had to adjust their offer to meet state restrictions to spread the coronavirus pandemic. delayed. The personal meetings and other events that can serve as a lifeline have been reduced or moved online, affecting the stability or routine one can rely on.
“Zoom is good, but in the 12-step world, people like to cuddle, cuddle,” said Colleen Hughes, director of the Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission, referring to the video conferencing application. “Those who recovered really suffered.”
Local prevention organizations also had to devise creative ways to convey their message.
The Westmoreland County Overdose Commission and the Task Force both relied on transit events to disperse naloxone, an opioid antidote.
“We had to recreate ourselves,” said Tim Phillips, director of the task force.
The organization distributed 400 to 500 doses of naloxone through a partnership with the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank for distribution, Phillips said.
“I’m hope our efforts to reduce damage have helped,” he said.
The commission held similar transit opportunities and began posting naloxone for anyone wanting a dose in Westmoreland County, Hughes said. She and Phillips thought deaths from drug overdoses would be much higher in the country by 2020, given the circumstances of the year.
In other parts of the country it was.
Nationwide, it appears that the number of deaths has increased in 2020 after a slight decrease in the previous few years, according to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The organization issued a warning in December that extensive prevention efforts were needed after deaths during the pandemic appeared to be accelerating.
It was unclear how deaths from drug overdose in 2020 would be compared by Allegheny to 2019 when 564 people died and 492 deaths in 2018, according to the statistical medical researcher. 492 drug deaths were reported in Allegheny in 2020, but the last time the information was updated on OverdoseFreePa.com, it was unclear.
Fentanyl was the biggest contributor to drug overdose deaths in Westmoreland last year, followed by heroin and prescription opioids. Hughes and Phillips said fentanyl – which has been at the top since 2016 – appears to be mixed with other drugs, including cocaine and methamphetamine. According to coroner’s statistics, cocaine was present in 23 deaths and methamphetamine in 16 of the confirmed cases.
Monessen was hit hard by deaths due to overdose in 2020. There were ten confirmed deaths there, making it the second highest municipality in the country behind Greensburg, where Excela Health is Westmoreland Hospital. In 2019, one person died from an overdose in Monessen.
Hughes said the Monessen-based commission intends to concentrate on the city by placing signs on the deaths to remind residents that naloxone is available. Members of the Mon Valley Opioid Coalition have planned to discuss ways to focus on the city bordering Washington County.
Of the deaths confirmed so far in 2020, Hempfield and North Huntingdon each have seven and New Kensington and Sewickley each five. Greensburg had the most with 12.
Renatta Signorini is an author of the staff of Tribune-Review. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, [email protected] or via Twitter .
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