In California, a new report estimates at least 1,500 unhoused people died on Los Angeles streets from the start of the pandemic to July 2021. The most common cause of death was accidental overdose.

In related news, in New York, city officials announced the opening of at least two supervised drug injection sites in Manhattan. The locations offer clean needles; administer naloxone, an opioid reversal medication; and provide medical care and drug dependency treatment options. Advocates have long fought for better and safer resources for people with addiction. The government-approved facilities are the first of their kind in the country and are aimed at fighting a rise in overdose deaths. U.S. overdose fatalities topped 100,000 over a 12-month period ending in April, a record number.