According to the Minnesota Department of Health, drug overdose deaths increased 31% during the first half of 2020, compared to the first half of 2019. From January 2020 to June 2020, there were 490 deaths, compared to 373 in 2019 over the same span of time.

The highest death total for a single month in the first half of the year in 2019 was 71. In the first six months of 2020, that number has been surpassed four different times, with this highest death total coming in May with 105 overdoes deaths.

“Deaths due to overdoses are preventable even amid all the troubles we’ve had this year,” said Commissioner Jan Malcolm. “We need to work together to find ways to better support those suffering from substance use disorders, but it is important to know that there are resources available and those resources can still be accessed safely even with COVID-19 restrictions in place.”

Both the seven-county metropolitan area and Greater Minnesota saw overdoes deaths increase from 2019 to 2020. Drug overdose deaths increased 29% through the first six months in the Twin Cities. In Greater Minnesota, overdoes deaths increased 36% from January 2020 to June 2020.

By — Chris Burns