Pennsylvania officials say the number of statewide opioid deaths last year could be the highest since it peaked in 2017.
Secretary of the PA Department of Drugs and Alcohol Programs Jennifer Smith says data is lagging at this point due to the pandemic. But, when the total information is known—this year could prove to be quite deadly when it comes to opioid deaths.
“We absolutely expect to see the final death counts up much closer to the peak of the crisis in 2017, when we had about 5,400 deaths,” Smith said.
Smith said it can sometimes take six to nine months for coroners or medical examiners to officially report deaths.
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