As the new year began, we reported last week that the number of overdose deaths in Indiana County for 2019 held steady at 29. Unfortunately, since that time three more overdose deaths occurred in the county, bringing the yearly total to 32. That’s nine more than in 2018.
At the peak of the opioid crisis in 2016, Indiana County registered 53 overdose deaths, and there were 41 in 2017.
The statistics use data reported by Indiana County Coroner Jerry Overman Jr. to OverdoseFreePA, a website administered by the University of Pittsburgh.
Twenty of Indiana County’s overdose deaths last year were males and twelve were female.
Westmoreland County’s death toll rose by nine over the previously-reported 75. Armstrong’s final total remained at thirteen while Cambria County held steady at thirty. Clearfield and Jefferson counties did not report data in 2019.
