Albany County saw record opioid deaths in 2020
Albany County saw record opioid deaths in 2020
Officials say a rise in fentanyl-laced drugs and the mental and emotional strains of the pandemic are to blame
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Albany County Department of Mental Health Director Stephen Giordano talks about the increase in opioid overdose deaths during a press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021, in Albany, N.Y. (Paul Buckowski/Times Union)Paul Buckowski/Albany Times Union
ALBANY Opioid overdoses killed a record number of people in Albany County in 2020.
Officials on Wednesday said there were 99 such deaths in the county, a 60 percent increase from 62 in 2019, which had been the county s worst previous year. The rise in fentanyl-laced drugs and a global pandemic that has strained people’s mental health and fueled a rise in addiction and drug use are believed to be behind the surge.
Albany County overdose deaths up 44% over last year
Albany County overdose deaths up 44% over last year
County: Number of overdoses already recorded this year are higher than those recorded in any of the last five years
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Albany County Executive Dan McCoy holds a county coronavirus briefing on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, at the county offices in Albany, N.Y. McCoy announced that two more Albany County residents have died from COVID-19 (Will Waldron/Times Union)Will Waldron/Albany Times Union
ALBANY Albany County is reconvening its opioid task force amid rising overdose deaths that have already eclipsed totals seen in years prior.