Opioid related deaths in the United States have been on the rise since the COVID 19 pandemic began, experts say.  Authorities in several states, including Texas, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New York, are reporting rises in overdoses during this crisis.

Dr. Paul Christo, Associate Professor in the Division of Pain Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says the number of fatalities from opioid-related overdoses could be nearly 30% higher than reported. That’s due to missing information or incomplete death records. Adds Dr. Christo, a pain management experts: The worst fear is that because of social isolation, and people are not being found or treated immediately.”

“COVID 19 impacted the drug supply chain by closing borders on some regions, and it led to the higher death rate. He added that drugs become more challenging to get, and the potency of overdose goes up. It also impacts the price, everything goes up, and in that sense, it becomes more deadly each day, according to Dr. Christo.