Overdose Deaths Continue to Rise in Yakima Even in The Holidays

Overdose deaths continue even during the holidays impacting hundreds of families in the valley. Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice says so far this year the number stands at 83 suspected or confirmed overdose deaths. The number was 75 last month.

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The number is approaching the record 95 overdose deaths recorded in 2021. Yakima County Coroner Jim Curtice says the deaths in 2021 set the bar for the county.
Curtice says at least 70% of the deaths are directly connected to the deadly drug fentanyl. He says 95 overdoses is the largest number of overdose deaths his office has ever seen.

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Curtice says Overdoses are tough to predict and even tougher to prevent. He says the best thing everyone can do today is to look for the unused or expired medications in medicine cabinets and dispose of them. That way says Curtice young people and others can’t find the drugs. Especially pain medications.

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He says many of the overdoses are in people who have taken what are called “blue 30” pills. Small blue pills with the number 30 printed on them that are laced with fentanyl. Yakima Police are doing all they can to prevent the drugs from hitting the streets of the city but they say it’s a tough job because so many drugs flow into the valley everyday especially with the open US border. Authorities say currently that’s the way large quantities of the drug fentanyl are entering the Yakima area.

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