Drug overdoses hit an all-time high in New York City last year, according to data released by the city health department Monday.

New York City tracked 3,026 drug overdose deaths last year, a 12 percent increase from the 2,696 overdose deaths the city recorded in 2021, and the highest total since the city began gathering data in 2000.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts that New York’s overdose deaths will continue to increase this year.

“This crisis is killing a New Yorker every three hours and is impacting every individual and family in our city and in our nation,” the city’s health commissioner, Ashwin Vasan, said in a commissioner’s advisory. “No one is spared, even if you think otherwise. If you use drugs, know someone who is using drugs, or might be around drug use, there are simple steps we can take. First, everyone should carry naloxone, get trained to use it and to recognize the signs of overdose. Second, no one should use or allow anyone else to use drugs alone. Third, if you use drugs, seek care, support and treatment; we have a range of options and harm reduction is the foundation. And lastly, everyone should have a candid, judgement-free conversation at your kitchen table about drugs and their danger. We’re all in this together.”

The synthetic opioid fentanyl was present in 81 percent of overdose deaths, and has been the most common drug involved in overdose deaths since 2017, according to New York City’s department of health. Over 80 percent of New Yorkers who inject drugs test positive for fentanyl, even though only 18 percent report using the opioid intentionally. A fentanyl overdose accident killed a 1-year-old boy this month, after drug traffickers allegedly used a daycare as a narcotics front.

The city has put into place various harm reduction efforts to combat the overdose crisis, but opioid-related deaths still surged dramatically by 68 percent from 2019 to 2021. Reduction measures include public health vending machines stocked with naloxone, a medication that can counteract opioid overdoses, and hygiene supplies. The city has also tried to bolster overdose prevention centers, which first opened in 2021.

One of New York City’s largest harm reductions programs is a syringe-distribution program, which distributes sterile needles and supplies to citizens who inject drugs.