The decrease across the country is a major breakthrough in efforts to reverse the effects of fentanyl. Researchers and health officials say there is no easy explanation for the trend.

Drug warriors do not deserve credit for the turnaround, although they deserve blame for the previous explosion in fatal overdoses.

There is cautious optimism in the fight against overdose deaths on a national level, as researchers now suggest that we could soon see a larger decline in deaths than the CDC previously outlined.

While the health department says its efforts are paying off, they acknowledge this has been a team effort all along. They credit partners such as the coroner’s office, law enforcement and nonprofits.