Overdose deaths soar in Virginia in 2020
and last updated 2020-12-23 11:28:08-05
NORFOLK, Va. - More than 2,000 people are predicted to die by drug overdoses in Virginia in 2020, the highest number ever.
"Overall, 2020 is looking like we're having a dramatic increase in overdoses since the pandemic began," said Rosie Hobron, a state forensic epidemiologist with the Virginia Department of Health.
The biggest culprit is fentanyl. The opioid was responsible for nearly 80% of fatal drug overdoses in the second quarter of this year. The drug is often mixed with other drugs like cocaine or heroin.
The overdose numbers are a sharp turn in Virginia. Just two years ago, the number of overdose deaths had dropped for the first time in several years, but that progress has now been erased.