NORFOLK, Va. — The number of people who died from drug overdoses rose to 2,656 deaths in Virginia in 2021, setting a record for the state for the second year in a row, and fentanyl continued to be the driving force behind the spike.
In 2020, overdose deaths jumped 42% from the year before. While 2021 didn’t quite keep up with that pace, overdose deaths increased by another 15%, or 347 deaths, according to a report released by the Virginia Department of Health.
Fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, caused or contributed to 76.5% of all overdose deaths in 2021, up 4.4% from 2020.
