The news Thursday that the Wheeling Police Department responded to 16 drug overdoses in the past week was unwelcome to say the least and serves as a stark reminder that opioid abuse remains a major concern.
The police department reported three deaths from those overdoses. Also, this past Wednesday alone, the department responded to six overdose calls.
Wheeling is not alone in seeing a spike in overdoses and deaths. A report out of Berkeley County indicates that overdose deaths there have doubled over the past year. And the latest CDC figures through May 2020 show a spike in overdose deaths in West Virginia.
There are many reasons why this is happening, and the fact remains that drug overdoses remain a major issue for our area.
We must remain vigilant in fighting the opioid crisis.