Overdose deaths in Dane County continue to fall even as short-term spikes raise alarms from local public health officials.
Preliminary data figures show 118 people died from overdoses in 2024 — down 20% from 144 in 2023 and well below the 2021 peak of 166, according to data from Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC). The numbers reflect progress, but health officials caution that sudden surges show the ongoing risks of drug use in the community.
“When you look at a big picture of the last five years, you can see that the data from this year is significantly lower,” Morgan Finke, Communication Coordinator for PHMDC, told The Daily Cardinal…