Natural causes and accidental deaths remain the leading causes of death in Berrien County, according to the latest 2023 county death report.
Chief Investigator John Storer from the Western Michigan University Medical Center reports a total of 625 deaths for the year, with 449 attributed to natural causes and 120 due to accidents, including drug-related fatalities.
“We are approaching pre-COVID numbers in terms of deaths that we’ve investigated, so that’s good news,” Storer says. “The leading causes of death tend to continue to be cardiovascular disease across the board.”
The report indicates that 67% of deaths involving opioids resulted from accidental and indeterminate causes. Storer notes that opioid overdoses continue to be a significant issue across several counties in the Southwest Michigan region.
Additionally, the report highlights a 38% increase in suicides compared to 2022, predominantly among males aged 26 to 44.
