Washington state’s drug epidemic is so bad that some local coroners are working at full capacity or have almost no room left for the bodies of those who have died from drug overdoses.
The department is struggling to keep up with the number of bodies arriving as the fentanyl crisis continues and worsens, officials at the King County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
“A major indication of how bad things are at the end of 2022 and likely to get worse [in] In 2023, the coroner’s office is now grappling with the issue of storing corpses as the fentanyl-related death toll continues to rise,” said Dr. Faisal Khan, Director of Public Health for Seattle-King County, recently.
Officials sounded the alarm back in October when they reported more than 700 overdose deaths in the first 10 months of the year, more than all of 2021.
Already in the first three weeks of 2023, there have been 35 overdose deaths in King County, according to local outlets.
This is Dr. Faisal Khan, Seattle-King County District Health Director
The news comes amid a chilling report of the number of homeless deaths in Seattle in 2022, which hit 310 by the end of the year. The previous record was 195 in 2018.
According to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office, fentanyl contributed to more than half of the deaths, and many individuals had a multidrug mix in their system, including cocaine and methamphetamine.
The comments of Dr. Khan on the limited space in the morgues came during a Health Committee meeting last week.
“Obviously they have limited space in the fridges they use and that space is now regularly exceeded,” Khan said.
The director of health said overdoses are currently the biggest problem facing the county and fentanyl now accounts for 70 percent of overdose deaths in the county.
“With the final review of fatal overdoses completed in the coming weeks, I fear that 2022 will set another heartbreaking record for fatal overdoses in King County,” said Dr. Khan.
“Compared to three years ago in 2019, the number of lives lost will more than double,” continued Dr. Khan gone.
Officials sounded the alarm back in October when they reported more than 700 overdose deaths in the first 10 months of the year, more than all of 2021
This is King County, home of Seattle, where the drug epidemic has worsened in recent years
Already in the first three weeks of 2023, there have been 35 overdose deaths in King County, according to local outlets
These stunning graphs show the number of drug overdose deaths in and around Seattle
The news comes amid a chilling report of the number of homeless deaths in Seattle in 2022, which hit 310 by the end of the year
Data suggests that drug overdoses have skyrocketed in recent years.
In 2020, the county recorded 173 fentanyl overdoses. In 2021, that number increased by 122 percent to 385 people.
In 2022, the total number of deaths rose again, reaching 710 before the end of the year.
So far in 2023, nearly three dozen people have died from drug overdoses in King County. If this rate continues and doesn’t worsen, the county will see just over 600 deaths by the end of the year.
In 2020, the county recorded 173 fentanyl overdoses. In 2021, that number increased by 122 percent to 385 people
This is the King County Medical Examiner’s office in Seattle
If the current rate of overdose deaths continues and doesn’t worsen, the county will see just over 600 deaths by the end of the year
Meanwhile, officials are examining that they are looking at temporary ways to address the limited space at the morgues.
“We have options for temporary increases in morgue capacity when our census count gets high, including keeping deceased on autopsy stretchers and partnerships with funeral homes,” a public health spokesman told KTHH.
“We are reviewing longer-term options for adding more capacity,” they continued.
Khan said he believes many of the recent deaths have been caused by the discreet inclusion of fentanyl in what appear to be prescription pills. He also said the drug can be made to look like cocaine or heroin.
“People don’t know they’re taking fentanyl,” Khan said.
He added that fentanyl is the “biggest driver” of overdoses and that the drug is found in “white powder and fake pills flooding the streets.”
Officials say they are looking at temporary options to address the limited space at the morgues
310 homeless people died in 2022, the vast majority from drug overdoses
Last year, the health agency distributed more than 10,000 kits containing naloxone, the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses.
They also distributed around 100,000 fentanyl test strips and have ramped up public awareness campaigns about the deadly substance’s presence in other drugs.
The shocking figures show that the measures have done little to combat the ongoing drug and fentanyl epidemic.
Part of the problem can be traced back to the 2021 Washington state Supreme Court decriminalization of drugs.
In February 2021, the court ruled that Washington Law 5-4, which banned the possession of drugs such as cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin for personal use, was unconstitutional.
The decision resulted in the immediate overturning of drug possession convictions and the dismissal of drug possession charges, some dating back 40 years.
Officials have also faced backlash for failing to heed voter calls for tougher drug laws, and have mostly redoubled their harm reduction methods.
Last year, the health agency distributed more than 10,000 kits containing naloxone, the drug used to reverse opioid overdoses
They also distributed around 100,000 fentanyl test strips
Part of the problem can be traced back to the 2021 Washington state Supreme Court decriminalization of drugs
Seattle’s homelessness, crime and drug problems have now gotten so bad that many downtown businesses are fleeing.
Just days ago, reported that Seattle has lost its flagship store and downtown Nike multiplex cinema due to the ongoing problems.
On Friday, it was announced that the Nike at Sixth Avenue and Pike Street would be closing its doors forever
Nike’s exit came immediately after Regal Cinemas announced it would decline the lease on the Meridian 16 multiplex at Seventh Avenue and Pike Street.
Seattle’s homelessness, crime and drug problems have now gotten so bad that many downtown businesses are fleeing
Just days ago, reported that Seattle has lost its flagship store and downtown Nike multiplex cinema due to the ongoing problems
While Nike has yet to comment on why it is closing up shop after more than 26 years of service, local residents told the Seattle Times that street crime is likely among the biggest motivators for departures.
Shoppers in downtown Seattle were devastated when they last visited the Nike store on Friday, amid fears it could be the start of a new wave of outflows from the city.
Richard Green – a Nike fanatic who dressed head-to-toe in the brand, including socks and underwear – told the Times he was “heartbroken” by the closure.
“I had big plans for this year,” Green said of his shopping habits as he stared into the closing store where security guards were guarding grieving customers.
According to the latest numbers from the Seattle Police Department, 2022 was on track to match last year’s numbers in terms of crime.
As of November 2022, police reported 285 rapes, 1,654 robberies, and 3,258 aggravated assaults.
However, homicide was the only number to surpass the number at the end of 2021, with 48 reported before the end of 2022, a 12.5 percent increase.
At least 18 homeless people were killed in 2022, including Trenton Harris, 30, who was fatally shot four times in July, according to the King County Medical Examiner’s Office.