LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The CDC released new provisional data showing a major spike in overdose deaths nationwide in 2020.
The CDC predicts 2020 brought the highest number of overdose deaths ever in the U.S. Provisional numbers show nationwide opioid deaths in 2020 were up almost 29.4 percent from 2019. That's more than 93,000 people who died from an overdose.
"93,000 people in the United States, that's about 255 people per day," Kirk Lane said.
Kirk Lane is the state drug director. He said data from the Department of Health shows overdose deaths in Arkansas are up about 12 percent for 2020. That is still one of the biggest jumps Arkansas has seen, and numbers are still trickling in.
"I would imagine and I would be safe in saying that it may be slightly higher than that," Lane said.
Lane said 352 people died from an overdose in Arkansas in 2019. ADH predicts 401 overdose deaths in 2020; however, the CDC predicts 505 deaths for Arkansas.
“If the prediction stands strong with CDC, we may be the highest number we’ve seen, so we’re still waiting to get those numbers finalized," Lane said.
Lane said overdoses in general likely doubled or even tripled in 2020. The state does not have an accurate database to track overdoses. But, Naloxone use more than doubled during the pandemic.
"We were running about 4 per day statewide and we increase in 20 to about 9 per day," Lane said.
Lane said this crisis is showing no signs of slowing down in 2021. He said the state is seeing a large influx of fentanyl coming in, resulting in even more overdoses.
"We've always called the opioid issue an epidemic. So it's really an epidemic inside a pandemic," Lane said.
The Serenity Park Recovery Center in Little Rock operated at near capacity the entire pandemic and is still operating at near capacity.
"We saw a lot of people coming in after a relapse, and we also saw new inquires of people that never sought treatment before," Director of Market Development Tucker Martin said.
Martin said the numbers from the CDC do not shock him, especially seeing the number of people needing help at his center alone.
"Unfortunately, with what we saw throughout the course of 2020 with COVID, and the isolation and the desperation people experienced, no I’m not really shocked," Martin said.
Lane said the department of health should know exactly how many people died from an overdose in 2020 in the coming weeks, once the numbers are finalized.