Opioid deaths spike to highest levels during pandemic Share Updated: 6:23 AM CST Feb 26, 2021 Share Updated: 6:23 AM CST Feb 26, 2021
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Show Transcript ERIC: NEW THIS MORNING, THE CDC SAYS 2020 BROUGHT THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF DEATHS EVER RECORDED OH. IN A YEAR. KCCI’S TOMMIE CLARK IS LIVE AT THE POWELL CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY CENTER AT IOWA LUTHERAN HOSPITAL, WHERE THEY HAVE SEEN SO MUCH TRAFFIC. WHAT ARE THEY SEEING SPECIFICALLY HERE IN IOWA? TOMMIE: TREATMENT SPECIALISTS TELL ME WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN OPIOID USE, SINCE THE PANDEMIC HIT OUR STATE. THE CDC SAYS EXPANDED PREVENTION EFFORTS ARE NEEDED TO DE-ESCALATE OVERDOSES DURING COVID-19 THEIR DATA SHOWS THAT FROM MAY 20, 1910 MAY 2020, THERE WERE MORE THAN 81,000 DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS IN THE UNITED STATES. THOSE NUMBERS HAVE BEEN GROWING FOR A WHILE, BUT OFFICIALS SAY THE RECENT UPTICK SUGGESTS THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE DURING THE PANDEMIC. THAT DOES NOT SURPRISE THOSE WITH POWELL CH