The Injury and Violence Prevention Branch of the Division of Public Health (IVPB) recently posted an update of suspected overdose deaths, fentanyl-positive deaths, and provisional data on Emergency Department (ED) visits for overdose reports.

For information on overdose prevention strategies and resources, please visit NaloxoneSaves-nc.org.

Suspected Overdose Deaths

There were 176 suspected overdose deaths in May 2026 compared to 261 in May 2025.

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Fentanyl-Positive Deaths

There were 85 fentanyl-positive deaths in April 2026 compared to 176 in April 2025. Please note that due to the time needed to finalize toxicology results, this report is one month behind the other reports shared in this update.

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Overdose Involving Medication or Drugs with Dependency Potential

There were 835 overdose ED visits in May 2026 involving medication or drugs with dependency potential compared to 975 in May 2025.

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