It's a sad record.

The United States recorded more than 100,000 deaths by overdose over one year during the pandemic, the American authorities being alarmed by an unprecedented “crisis” notably linked to the illegal sales of fentanyl, a powerful opioid.

Between April 2020 and April 2021, the country counted 100,306 fatal overdoses, an increase of 28.5% compared to the same period the previous year (78,056 deaths), according to provisional figures from the Centers for the prevention and the fight against diseases (CDC).

This is the first time that the symbolic bar of 100,000 deaths has been exceeded.

This means one death every 5 minutes.

75% of overdoses have been caused by opiates, mainly fentanyl, and 70% are in men between the ages of 25 and 54.

Since 2017, overdoses have claimed more lives than road accidents in the United States.

For the first time, life expectancy fell across the Atlantic in 2015 and 2016.

Effect of pandemic and containment

"As we continue to make progress in defeating the Covid-19 pandemic, we cannot ignore this epidemic of disappearances, which has affected families and communities across the country," the president said in a statement. Joe Biden.

"It is time to recognize that this crisis seems to be getting worse, we need everyone on the bridge," added Health Minister Xavier Becerra at a press conference.

The pandemic has further accelerated a phenomenon already on the rise in the past, for example by having increased the isolation of certain populations, according to experts.

Counterfeiting

"These overdoses are largely caused by synthetic opiates, mainly illegally manufactured fentanyl," Deb Houry, head of the CDC, told reporters. Overdoses linked to methamphetamine, a stimulant also very addictive, or to cocaine have they also increased.

"Drug traffickers and their networks are flooding our neighborhoods with fentanyl and methamphetamine in the form of fake pills," warned Anne Milgram, head of the US anti-drug agency (DEA).

Mexican cartels, using chemicals imported from China, trick consumers into buying approved and prescription drugs online, when they are in fact very dangerous counterfeit products, she said. Explain.

The DEA seized this year "over 14 million fake pills, an amount that continues to grow dramatically each year," she said.

"We find these lethal drugs in all American states".

Access to naloxone

"My administration is committed to doing everything in its power to tackle addiction and put an end to this epidemic of overdoses," promised Joe Biden.

The US government has announced that it wants to improve prevention, as well as access to naloxone, an antidote capable of countering an overdose.

The federal executive will encourage states to ensure that naloxone is made available in prisons or schools, for example, or that it is fully covered by health insurance.

"I believe that no one should die of an overdose simply from lack of access to naloxone," said Rahul Gupta, director of the executive office in charge of the national drug control strategy.

“But unfortunately this is happening across the country right now.

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  • Health

  • Overdose

  • United States

  • World

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