Seattle and the surrounding area hit a record high for fentanyl-related overdose deaths in 2023, data shows.
King County, which includes Seattle, saw its highest number of fentanyl-related deaths in 2023, with 1,078 overdose deaths. The county recorded a total of 1,318 opioid and drug overdose deaths last year, meaning fentanyl was involved in more than 80% of overdose deaths last year.
So far this year, the county has recorded 58 fatal overdoses in January. According to the Seattle and King County Fatal Overdose Dashboard, as of Feb. 6, there have been a total of 78 confirmed overdoses related to opioid or alcohol addiction.
According to the database, 30 more people have died from suspected overdoses this year, but they are still under investigation.
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A 24-year-old homeless man holds a piece of aluminum foil that he used to smoke fentanyl in Seattle on March 13, 2022. (John Moore/Getty Images)
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Last year, the number of fentanyl-related deaths increased by about 870% compared to pre-pandemic deaths in 2019. The number of fentanyl-related deaths rose from 111 in 2019 to 168 in 2020, 385 in 2021, 714 in 2022, and 1,078 last year. The database shows the year.
“When it comes to the rise in fatal overdoses from synthetic fentanyl, the drug’s supply has become much more lethal, more available, and cheaper. Public health needs a comprehensive approach to address this crisis. This includes increasing access points to drugs, “low-barrier treatments for substance use disorders, and expanded access to overdose reversal drugs.” Seattle King a spokesperson for the county Department of Public Health told FOX News Digital on Tuesday.
Overdose deaths greatly impact the city’s large homeless population. Last year was the deadliest year for people living on the streets in King County, with an estimated 421 people dying while homeless last year, according to the county’s data dashboard. Of these, 312 deaths were due to drug or alcohol poisoning.
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Seattle’s King County public health director warned last year that officials were running out of space to store bodies.
“As the number of fentanyl-related deaths continues to rise, the Medical Examiner’s Office is currently struggling with body storage issues. Clearly, the coroner’s office has limited space in the coolers it uses, and that space is Dr. Faisal Khan, director of public health for Seattle and King County, said at a King County Board of Health meeting last year.
On March 13, 2022, a heroin syringe is stuck in a tree at a homeless camp in Seattle. (John Moore/Getty Images)
“The rise in fentanyl nationally and locally over the past few years has created a more dangerous drug supply,” Khan said. “Fentanyl increases the risk of overdose and death, even when taken as a single pill or using a small amount of powder. As of December 2022, fentanyl accounts for 70% of overdose deaths in King County. I’m involved.”
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A coroner’s office worker passes through a police line in King County, Washington. (Reuters)
Public health officials told local media at the time that temporary morgues could be used if morgues run out of space.
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“If the census numbers are high, we have options to temporarily increase morgue capacity, such as storing the deceased on coroner’s stretchers and partnering with funeral homes. We are considering long-term options for increasing numbers,” a public health spokesperson said.
A community of homeless people pitch tents on the edge of a freeway in Seattle on July 22, 2022. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
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Open drug use on Seattle’s streets has become a common sight in the city in recent years. In September, the Seattle City Council voted to approve an ordinance making illegal drug use or possession a gross misdemeanor in an effort to curb the problem.
