BELLINGHAM, WA. – Overdose-related deaths in Whatcom County continue to trend upward.

52 people died of drug overdoses in the county through August of last year, according to data from Whatcom Overdose Prevention.

That number jumped to 75 deaths in the same period this year, a 44% increase over 2022.

Calls for suspected opioid overdoses are already at higher levels than all of last year.

This comes as the King County Medical Examiner’s Office reported more fentanyl deaths this year than the entirety of 2022.

Find more local data and information on how to help prevent overdoses at whatcomoverdoseprevention.org.