Forsyth County interactive map shows increase in overdose calls

Forsyth County has published a new, interactive map that shows a rise in overdose calls to emergency services over the last year.

Officials responded to more than 1,700 calls last year, up from under 1,600 in 2023. That's according to an interactive map called "Unseen Patterns: The Overdose Story in Forsyth County."

The project shows data ranging from how zip codes are affected to impact sorted by age, gender and race.

County Health Services Coordinator Annie Vasquez says the tool can help officials create more targeted approaches.

"It allows us to kind of specifically tackle the trends that we're seeing in the local jurisdiction a little better than if we're just going off national or state data," she says.

Vasquez says she hopes the map can also help residents learn what's going on right in their own neighborhoods, and spark more community conversations.