Last year was a deadly one for overdoses in the Chattanooga area, as a pandemic worked to overshadow the ongoing — and still growing — opioid epidemic in the region.

Unlike in the early days of the opioid epidemic, during which prescription drugs were front and center, the highly potent synthetic opioid fentanyl is now the driving force behind the crisis.

While 270 Hamilton County residents died due to COVID-19 in 2020, 160 are reported to have died from overdoses and drug-related deaths, according to the Hamilton County Medical Examiner’s office.

The story includes information on deaths by age, race, and gender. Read More.