By iHeartMedia's Corey Olson
May 27, 2021
We've seen many of the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic, from hospitalizations and deaths related to the virus, to businesses and industries wiped out by shutdowns and restrictions. Now, we're seeing one of the most deadly and brutal impacts---a surge in drug overdose deaths. New research from QuoteWizard reveals a staggering rise in drug deaths across the U.S. since the start of the pandemic. "We saw a 27-percent increase in the number of fatal overdose drug-related deaths in just the last year," says Nick VinZant, senior research analyst with QuoteWizard. "That's 20,000 additional people nationwide."