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Opioid overdose deaths in New York state fall almost 16%

Opioid overdose deaths in New York state fall almost 16%
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Health officials say opioid overdose deaths have declined for the first time in a decade among New Yorkers outside of New York City.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday that opioid fatalities dropped 15.9%-from 2,170 in 2017 to 1,824 in 2018.

Preliminary state Department of Health data also showed hospitalizations for opioid overdoses outside of the city fell 7.1%-from 3,260 in 2017 to 3,029 in 2018.

The Democrat said the decline was a “direct result” of services initiated by a state task force convened in 2016.

New York City health officials reported in August that overdose deaths in the city declined 2.6% from 2017 to 2018 after years of increases.