BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Burlington’s mayor says opioid overdose numbers in the Queen City are going down.
Mayor Miro Weinberger’s office announced Tuesday that the city has seen its first sustained decrease in monthly overdoses since before the pandemic.
They say from January 2021 to September 2023, monthly overdose responses consistently increased year over year. But they say overdoses dropped from an all-time monthly high of 67 in September 2023 to 25 in October 2023, and they have stayed at that level through February of this year.
In a statement, Mayor Weinberger, D-Burlington, said, in part: “I hope this positive trend provides hope to our community and inspires new… Urgent actions from the state and federal governments who have far more authorities and resources for this fight than the city of Burlington can muster alone.”
The city saw its deadliest year on record in 2022, prompting the mayor’s office to rethink its efforts to combat the crisis.
Our Katharine Huntley is gathering details on this story and she will have more for you Tuesday evening on the Channel 3 News.
Click here for more from the mayor’s office.