WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Opioid overdose deaths have reduced significantly from June 2023 to June 2024 in the U.S., according to a new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the 12-month period to June 2022 and 2023, over 108,000 people had died due to overdose. However, the number dropped to 97,000 by June 2024, BBC reports.
'While these data are cause for optimism, we must not lose sight of the fact that nearly 100,000 people are still estimated to be dying annually from drug overdose in the US,' Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse said to CBS.
The decline was notable in almost all states in the U.S. especially in North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia. However, the cases rose in Alaska, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
'We are encouraged by this data, but boy, it is time to double down on the things that we know are working. It is not a time to pull back, and I feel very strongly, and our data shows, that the threat continues to evolve,' Dr. Allison Arwady, head of the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, told CBS News.
Despite the recent encouraging report, the health officials are unsure about the exact reason behind the current decline in overdose deaths.
Copyright(c) 2024 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2024 AFX News
