Overdose Deaths Hit U.S. Record; Asia Cases Soar

U.S. drug overdose deaths soared almost 30% to a record 93,331 in 2020, or an average of 256 a day, in yet another health concern tied to a pandemic that’s killed more than 600,000 Americans. In Europe, health officials say data supporting the use of vaccine boosters remains thin, and they urged countries in the region to speed up inoculation programs amid the rise of the Delta variant. Austria Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said those younger than 35 need to get shots, noting in a statement that this age group accounts for 70% of new infections in the country. Meanwhile, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a backlash from businesses and officials over his decision to make masks optional next week.

In Asia, Indonesia’s daily cases surpassed India’s, marking a new virus epicenter for the region. Cases in Malaysia and South Korea reached record highs. Tokyo saw the most cases since January and Singapore reported its most daily infections since April 2020 as the city-state probes a cluster in karaoke lounges.

U.S. drug overdose deaths soared almost 30% to a record 93,331 in 2020, a year that saw hundreds of thousands of Americans killed by Covid-19. The rise, reported by the U.S. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, illustrates how the pandemic has worsened other medical problems, from mental health issues triggered by isolation, to conditions that went untreated because patients delayed visiting their doctors. There’s also been an increase in suicide attempts.

Overdose Deaths Hit U.S. Record; Asia Cases Soar: Virus Update, Bloomberg, Jul 15