Coroner: Trumbull OD rates are heading up again

WARREN — The Trumbull County Coroner's Office released statistics showing that 2019 is starting out with overdose death rates closer to 2017's record number (135) than the much lower 2018 number (76).

As of May 21, the county had 46 overdose deaths, which is more than double the number at that point last year.

The county averaged 10.25 overdose deaths the first four months of 2019, which is close to the 11.25 per-month average who died in the record year of 2017. The county averaged 6.3 overdose deaths in 2018.

The 2019 statistics show wide variability in the number of overdose deaths each month: 14 in January, 4 in February, 13 in March and 10 in April.

The highest number of overdose deaths took place in Warren, where there were 17. Two Warren residents died at the Trumbull Regional Medical Center. Second highest number of overdose deaths was in Niles with 7.