Metro East Sun

State Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) is again sounding the alarm over what he deems to be the state’s “silent public health crisis.”

A new DuPage County health report details suicide deaths are drastically on the rise in the area over the first six months of the year compared to the same time last year, with the change correlating with statewide “shelter at home” orders stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Suicides and overdoses are surging,” Plummer added. “This is the silent public health crisis… it is getting fat too little attention from the media and many elected officials.”

Overall, researchers concluded suicidal deaths have increased by nearly 23% over the first six months of the year, with 34 during periods of quarantine. Males comprised roughly 80% of the deaths. With researchers finding almost every case of suicide involved a person with a history of mental health issues, depression, personal, financial or marital problems, previous drug dependence or rehabilitation or were divorced, never married or living alone, Plummer is pushing a community effort in overcoming the epidemic.

“Reach out to your family, friends and those that might be isolated or need a little extra help as we continue to see young people isolated, businesses destroyed and families stretched to the max because of arbitrary government edicts.”

Suicide is the 11th-leading cause of death in the state and for young adults between 15 to 34 it rates as the third-leading cause of death.

Plummer has long been a consistent voice against what he sees as Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s overreach in his handling of the coronavirus. He recently went public with his support of a suit filed by the Edwardsville-Glen Carbon Chamber of Commerce naming Pritzker as a defendant over the governor recently moving to extend his stay-at-home order.