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Overdose Rates In West Virginia County Continue To Decrease

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) – The number of overdoses in a West Virginia county has decreased in seven of the past eight months.

The Herald-Dispatch quotes Cabell County Emergency Medical Services compliance officer Connie Priddy in a Wednesday report as saying the trend had not been anticipated months ago. County EMS records say the 62 overdose reports in April are the least in one month since 51 were reported in January 2016.

First responders first noticed a decline when 167 overdoses were reported in September, after the 195 in August were the most recorded in a single month. Overdoses gradually became less frequent over the following months, and February was the first with less than 100 since July 2016. March had 86.

Priddy says the decreasing trend is expected to continue in June.