Mass. opioid deaths fell 6% at the start of 2020
Photo | Grant Welker
Worcester had 141 overdose deaths take place in the city in 2019, up 5% from the prior year and the highest in at least the past five years.
Opioid deaths across Massachusetts fell 5.7% during the first quarter of this year compared to 2019, according to new state data reported Wednesday.
The improvement comes just as the state was starting to deal with another health crisis: the coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, it continues a drop from the height of the state's opioid deaths in 2016.
In addition to the first quarter 2020 numbers, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health on Wednesday released the total opioid-related death toll for 2019 in the state and individual cities. Opioid deaths last year across Massachusetts were down 4% from the 2016 peak of 2,102, according to DPH. Deaths have exceeded 2,000 for four straight years, including the 2,031 deaths in 2019.
Worcester was among five communities highlighted for having a particularly notable decrease among residents in opioid deaths from 2018 to 2019. Deaths fell year-to-year from 98 to 78, a drop of just over 20%, giving the city its lowest annual overdose number since it had 74 in 2016.
The city continues to have a major challenge with overdose deaths taking place in Worcester, whether or not they are residents. Worcester had 141 overdose deaths take place in the city in 2019, up 5% from the prior year and the highest in at least the past five years. That's the highest of any city or town in the state outside Boston.
Leominster had 32 opioid deaths take place in that city, up from 24 the year before. Gardner, on the other hand, fell from 23 to six.
The first quarter of 2020 had 467 confirmed and estimated deaths across the state, putting Massachusetts on track for 1,868. If that pace holds, the state would experience a 11% drop from its 2016 peak in deaths.
State officials said they're committed to fighting the opioid epidemic while working through the coronavirus pandemic. DPH provided more than 13,000 kits for the opioid antidote naloxone and more than 1,000 kits that included naloxone and local resources to help reduce the risk of accidental overdoses among high-risk populations.
Among other trends reported Wednesday, the synthetic opioid fentanyl continues to play a role in a larger share of overdoses. Fentanyl was present in 94% of deaths in 2019, according to the state. Heroin, which is less potent than fentanyl, was found in 24% of toxicology screens in opioid deaths.
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