American Midwest Saw 70% Increase in Opioid ER Visits from 2016 to 2017

Gizmodo ---------- The dangers posed by the opioid crisis only seem to be getting worse, according to a new Vital Signs report released today by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More people than ever are ending up in the emergency room as a result of an opioid overdose, and in some parts of the country, the increase has been staggering. According to data sourced from the CDC’s National Syndromic Surveillance program, ER visits due to suspected opioid overdose rose by 30 percent from July 2016 through September 2017 in 52 reporting areas across 45 states. The rise was seen throughout cities and towns big and small alike, and evenly among all age groups and both genders. It was largest, however, in the Midwestern region, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The average increase there was 70 percent. To learn more click on the picture below to read the article.