Drug overdose deaths rose in the first three months of this year, according to preliminary numbers released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The data, showing a roughly 10% increase in fatalities, offer a first official snapshot of the pandemic's impact on Americans suffering addiction.
If this trend continues, the CDC estimates the U.S. will suffer more than 75,500 drug-related deaths in 2020, setting a bleak record for a second year in a row.