CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — As the number of COVID-19 cases have fallen and restrictions have been dropped in Ohio, drug overdoses are on the rise in some cities.
The Ross County Health District is reporting a spike in drug overdoses within the county.
According to reports, EMS responded to twenty-seven drug overdoses, many of which were fatal, in the last few days.
Overdoses decreased during the pandemic since more people were inside, the CDC said. Nearly 841,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose, the agency reported. In 2019, 70,630 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States.
Many local jurisdictions are charging drug dealers if they can prove where the user purchased the supply. A federal grand jury charged a Dayton man last week with distributing fentanyl and cocaine that prosecutors say resulted in five overdoses in the late hours of New Year’s Eve and into the early hours of New Year’s Day 2019.
The Department of Justice said Friday Kelsey V. Williams, Jr., 40, was arrested Tuesday in Minnesota.
The Ross County Health District reminds residents that NARCAN (the overdose reversal medicine) is available for free. Individuals interested in carrying NARCAN can request a free kit by clicking here.
