Accidental drug overdoses in San Francisco declined in March

Accidental drug overdoses were slightly down for the second consecutive month in March, according to the San Francisco medical examiner's office.

Why it matters: Despite the decline, San Francisco is still dealing with a deadly drug epidemic , fueled largely by the opioid fentanyl.

• 2023 was the deadliest year on record for accidental overdose deaths in San Francisco.

By the numbers: In March, 61 people died from fatal overdoses , compared with 66 in February and 72 in January, according to the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

• Of those 61 deaths in March, 45 were due to fentanyl.

What they're saying: "We are in an unprecedented place that has challenged us to constantly evolve, pivot and refine our approach to crisis," Grant Colfax , the San Francisco Department of Public Health's director of health said late last week, the San Francisco Examiner reports.

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