Massachusetts opioid overdoses remain at elevated levels

An estimated 21 more people died of opioid overdoses in the first nine months of 2021 compared to the same period of 2020, according to new state data.

Preliminary figures presented at a Wednesday Public Health Council meeting tracked a total of 1,613 overdose deaths from January through September, up about 1% from the 1,592 recorded during the same months in 2020. The totals include both confirmed cases and estimated counts from recent cases not yet finalized.

"We know that these data are going to change over time," Acting Public Health Commissioner Margret Cooke told the council.

The state's latest report on fatal overdoses shows that 2,106 people died of overdoses last year, the highest number since recorded overdose deaths peaked at 2,110 in 2016.

The rate of overdose deaths in 2020 — 30.2 per 100,000 people — was below the 2016 rate of 30.7 per 100,000, and up 5% from the rate of 28.8 recorded in 2019.

The Department of Public Health said in its report that those differences were not statistically significant and the statewide opioid overdose death rate "has been stable for the past several years."

Gov. Charlie Baker said in a statement that the pandemic has "exacerbated substance misuse not only in Massachusetts, but across the country."

"Since 2015, we have more than doubled spending on substance misuse programs across state government, boosted the number of treatment beds, and signed two landmark laws to respond to this public health crisis," Baker said. "We continue to invest in treatment, support, intervention, and education programs, primarily for residents experiencing the highest burden of this epidemic."