November 5, 2026
A new data report from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) shows that Minnesota saw another small decrease in opioid-involved deaths in 2025, which is the third year with a decrease.
Opioid-involved overdose deaths have gradually declined from a high of 1,039 in 2022, to 671 in 2025.
Fentanyl-involved deaths in Minnesota saw a 6% decrease from 602 to 564 between 2024 and 2025. All opioid-involved overdose deaths dropped from 678 to 671 during that year, and nonfatal opioid-involved overdose hospitalizations fell from 3,685 to 3,617 between 2024 and 2025, according to MDH’s Statewide Trends in Drug Overdose: 2025 Data Update.
While opioid overdose deaths decreased, the latest data show a 3% increase among all drug overdose deaths (from 994 in 2024, to 1,025 in 2025), which was driven by an increase in stimulant-involved deaths. Hospitalizations for nonfatal overdoses involving stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine also increased. For every one Minnesotan who died of a drug overdose in 2025, 14 were treated in a Minnesota hospital and survived a drug overdose.
On October 1, as part of Minnesota’s opioid prevention efforts, MDH, in partnership with the Minnesota Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), launched the MN-OD-ALERTS (Minnesota Overdose Alert, Local Engagement, Response, and Tracking System), a statewide overdose response system that detects spikes, clusters and novel drug threats in near real-time.
MN-OD-ALERTS uses emergency medical services (EMS) data from OEMS to track opioid overdose trends. Once a potential opioid overdose spike is detected, MDH staff review patient-level details and other data, such as hospital visits and community partner reports, to assess whether the spike reflects a meaningful change in overdose activity at the county level. If so, local and Tribal public health partners are notified and can launch a local response with support from the MN-OD-Alerts Community Response Guide. Counties have shown strong interest in MN-OD-ALERTS, with 76 of Minnesota's 87 counties providing a contact for the alert system.
The new data report also highlights steps that groups like policy makers, healthcare professionals, public health and prevention professionals, and every day Minnesotans can take to decrease overdose deaths and substance use. Those include enhancing local data collection, educating patients and residents, carrying naloxone, and calling the 988 Minnesota Lifeline for free support related to mental health, alcohol, or drug use.
For more information, see MDH’s Drug Overdose Prevention website.
November 5, 2026
Minnesota Democrats had a strong showing on Election Day, November 3, expanding their majority in the Senate, and breaking the two-year tie in the House to regain control of both chambers.
November 5, 2026
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) reported on October 29 that the number of measles cases in Minnesota for 2026 has reached a total of 80 cases — the most the state has seen in a single year since 1990.
November 5, 2026
On October 29, a federal judge ruled that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) exceeded its authority when it restricted the definition of medical frailty – for the purpose of Medicaid work requirement exemptions– beyond the language in statute H.R. 1 (i.e., the One Big Beautiful Bill Act).