ROCKINGHAM — Four contiguous counties along the U.S. 74 corridor have some of the highest rates of fentanyl-involved deaths in North Carolina, with Richmond County again in the top spot.
According to information released Jan. 30 by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Richmond County had 25 deaths involving the opiate fentanyl from November 2023 to October of 2024 for a rate of 58.4 per 100,000.
Anson, Scotland and Robeson counties have the fourth- (49.5), fifth- (43.9) and sixth-highest (42) rates in the state for the same time period.
Other counties in the top 10 are: Vance (52.2); Edgecombe (51.8); Rutherford (40); Buncombe (39.1); Burke (35.3); and Catawba (34.9). Although Buncombe had the most deaths at 107, its rate is lower because of its larger population.
The number of fentanyl-positive deaths across North Carolina have been declining since peaking at 345 in May of 2023. There were 140 such deaths in the state in October — down from 276 the previous year.
OCME records show Richmond County has had the highest rates in September, July, April and March; and the second-highest rates for August, June and May. Last January, the county had the third highest rate.
The OCME has released statistics each month since January 2024 (with the exception of February) using data of a year’s time. Richmond County’s rates are:
In 2021, Robeson, Montgomery and Bladen counties had the three highest rates in the state and Richmond County wasn't in the top 10. Robeson's rate that year was 80.7.
Although some cases are still pending, OCME reports there were 220 suspected overdose deaths in the state in December— down from 303 the previous year.
According to data provided to the Drug Endangered Family Task Force, FirstHealth EMS responded to at least two fatal overdoses in 2024, in the months of April and May. The RO has no data for December.
There were 24 overdose patients treated by FirstHealth EMS in each April and June, the most throughout the year.
From January through November, FirstHealth responded to 146 patients — 92 of whom were transported to a hospital — and administered 720.5 mg of naloxone. It is not currently known if any of the patients were treated multiple times.
