Drug overdose deaths increased in 2021 in Westmoreland County, reaching their highest point since 2017, according to the coroner’s annual report. There were 168 accidental drug overdose deaths last year, the third highest total for the county and a 37% increase from 2020 when 123 people died. The powerful opioid
Sean Stipp | Tribune-Review
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Westmoreland County Coroner Ken Bacha said a meteoric 21% increase in the office’s caseload last year was fueled by coronavirus death investigations.
The statistics detailing the sharp increase to 3,523 cases in 2020 compared to 2,906 cases in 2019 was included in Bacha’s annual report released Monday. Deputy Coroner Josh Zappone said last year’s caseload was the highest in office history.
Bacha said the spike in investigations “was definitely due to the number of covid-19 cases.”
Through Monday, Bacha’s office reported 440 confirmed deaths for 2020, based on the decedent’s place of death being in Westmoreland County. The state department of health, which reported 736 Westmoreland deaths as of Monday, bases its statistics on residential addresses rather than place of death.