In the July 20 issue of the Outlook Valley Sun, “When One Pill Can Kill: The Fentanyl Crisis Hits Home,” an accompanying chart showing figures related to fentanyl overdose deaths were referenced without specifying that the figures were “per 100,000 residents,” making the number of deaths seem significantly larger than reality. The California Department of Public Health reports the number of fentanyl death rates in LCF reached about 29 deaths per 100,000 residents in 2021, up from about 13 per 100,000 in 2020, and about 6 per 100,000 in 2019. There were no reported deaths in 2018 or 2017. As the population of LCF is about 20,000, then the death rates for 2021, 2020 and 2019 adjusted for population are about six, 2.6, and 1.2 respectively.
First published in the August 3 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
