Health officials raise the alarm over overdose deaths in Birmingham area
Updated May 24, 2021;
A surge in fentanyl-related cases has pushed the number of drug overdose deaths in Jefferson County to record highs, prompting dire warnings from health officials concerned about tainted drugs.
The number of drug overdose deaths in the Birmingham area increased to 99 in the first three months of 2021 compared to 58 the same time last year, an increase of 71 percent, said Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates. The number of overdose deaths linked to fentanyl jumped by 126 percent, he said. Fentanyl is an opioid, but it has been increasingly found in other types of drugs, including stimulants.