After a sudden spike in drug overdose deaths in Broome County prompted officials to declare a State of Emergency in March, the number of deaths has dropped again.

Opioid Epidemic Plagues Section Of Bronx Neighborhood
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Officials were alarmed this spring when there were 12 deaths, half of those in a 10-day period, in March.  July 12, officials announced six deaths had been confirmed for the second quarter of the year (April, May, June).

Following the reported spike in deaths in March, Broome County Executive Jason Garnar, District Attorney Stephen Cornwell, Emergency Services Director Michael Ponticello and Public Health Director Rebecca Kaufman created a special response team to respond not only to fatal but also non-fatal overdose reports.

The panel plans to continue to hold emergency meetings when needed as well as work on better education and public information efforts like advertising and on-line presence, work on intervention and address how law enforcement deals with instances as well as assisting efforts to stop the flow of illegal substances into the area.

 

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