A record 100 deaths from a drug overdose in a year during the Covid-19 pandemic have been recorded in the United States, health officials said today.
Between April 2020 and April 2021, the country counted 100,306 drug overdose deaths, an increase of 28.5% compared to the same period last year (78,056 deaths), according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (CDC).
This is the first time the barrier of 100,000 deaths has been overcome in a year.
“These overdoses are largely made from synthetic opiates, mainly illegally made fentanyl,” CDB official Debra Houri told a news conference.
“My government is committed to doing all it can to tackle addiction and put an end to this drug overdose,” Biden said in a statement.
“As we continue to make progress in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, we cannot ignore this epidemic of losses, which has affected families and communities across the country,” he added.
The US government has announced plans to improve access to naloxone, an antidote drug that can treat drug overdose.
“It’s time to acknowledge that this crisis seems to be worsening, we need everyone on our side,” Health Minister Javier Besera told reporters.
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