ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Monroe County Health Department has released its overdose data for 2023, showing an increase in cases. According to the report, there were nearly 200 more overdoses compared to the previous year, with 512 deaths recorded.

Health leaders express confidence in their efforts to reduce these numbers in 2024. However, critics argue that the data was released too late in the year to be effective.

Dr. Marielena Velez de Brown, Public Health Commissioner, explains the delay.

“Some of the testing is just very detailed, very specific. And there’s certainly the question of volume,” she said. “I know those other counties, you know, have a significant population as well. But our medical examiner staff, according to national standards, should have should be staffed with five medical examiners. And we only have three.”

She attributes the delay to a nationwide worker shortage.

“Medical schools are just not graduating enough pathologists, much less those going into forensic pathology. So there are more openings nationally than there are individuals to fill those positions,” Brown said.

Critics like Jim VanBrederode suggest outsourcing to private labs, as the county has done before, to speed up the process.

“Data that’s old is worthless,” VanBrederode said. “So we have no idea. You know, what are we going to do this year? Because the data’s a year old. You know what I mean? So how are you supposed to address a problem? But you don’t have up-to-date data? That’s a problem that can be fixed. If we just outsource some of these testing results, send them down to a private lab and get caught up on all these testing results.”

Randy Cimino of Gates to Recovery believes the rise in overdose deaths is linked to fentanyl entering the country.

“This is a direct result of our wide open borders. It’s a direct result. The fentanyl is incredibly bad, man. It’s just blowing in at a rate that’s unreal,” he said. “I don’t know what to say about that. This is a mental health issue. I’ve been pushing that since day one. I know that I was an ex-drug addict. I’m in recovery. I’ve been in recovery for years.”

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