FARMINGTON, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut’s chief medical examiner says fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the state are on pace to increase 9 percent this year, while total deaths from accidental drug overdoses are expected to decline slightly.
Dr. James Gill released overdose figures for the first six months of the year Thursday.
There were 370 accidental deaths from January to June involving the powerful opioid fentanyl. If that rate continues, there will be 740 such deaths in 2018, a 9 percent increase over last year’s total of 677.
A total of 515 people died from accidental drug overdoses from January to June, leading to a projected yearly total of 1,030. That’s slightly lower than last year’s 1,038 deaths.
Just over 400 heroin deaths are expected this year, down 15 percent from last year.
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