Why Are So Many Working Aged Adults Dying in Maine?

By Heidi H. Sampson

What would you say someone told you, Maine has had up to an 18% increase in all cause deaths in last two years? What do you suppose the normal average annual increase of deaths here in Maine? It’s less than 1.5%. We’ve just experience almost 18% increase, in healthy young and working age people who have died in Maine.

This is a silent epidemic, people! People all around us are being affected. Have you been hearing about an unusually high number of funerals. Now that winter is passed, funerals for people we know are taking place every weekend. This is not normal.

Challenge yourself by conducting an internet search for “suddenly died” headlines. In a flash, hundreds, even thousands of examples pop up. Just a few years ago, this was unheard of; Suddenly died of cardiac arrest, suddenly died of brain hemorrhage, suddenly died after a stroke, suddenly died of meningitis, suddenly died of anaphylaxis, suddenly died of pulmonary embolism, suddenly died of asthma, suddenly died of brain aneurysm, on and on. Shocking!

A new coined term, Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) is frequently announced to blamed for the sudden, unexpected death from natural causes, without a specific medical condition.

SDS is an umbrella term which includes biologically based scenarios describing quick-onset of unexpected mortality without prior signs of illness. It bears repeating, without prior signs of illness. Autopsies may be non-conclusive due to lack of obvious abnormalities. They may also be non-conclusive because we are not asking the right questions. The Legislature must press for deeper investigation on this.

According to the raw data gathered from Maine’s DHHS for “All Cause Mortalities” for the 25-64 years old age category, in 2020 there was an acknowledgment that deaths spiked due to COVID, here Maine. That spike was 6.3% compared to a yearly average of 1 ½%.

If 6.3% is a spike, what then do we call 18%?

Some of those deaths could be attributed to COVID and to initial treatment strategies that were not effective. However, in 2021, the number of deaths was beyond what anyone expected. Both on a national and statewide basis the numbers were extraordinary, the rate of deaths for 25-64 years olds increase from 2020 to a total of 17.7%, that’s almost 18%.

The CEO of the OneAmerica Insurance Company publicly disclosed that during the third and fourth quarters of 2021, death in people of working age (18–64) was 40% higher than it was before the pandemic. This data was compiled by actuaries, who are the mathematical expert’s insurance companies depend upon. A 40% increase in deaths is literally earth-shaking. Even a 10% increase in excess deaths would have been a 1-in-200-year event.

Let it sink in, we have almost an 18% increase in Maine.

What could be causing this epidemic of unexpected sudden deaths? What has caused this historic spike in deaths among younger people? Why is no one talking about this? What is causing this? Is anyone curious? This is not normal. Normal is less than 1 ½%. We really need to investigate this – and now. The Legislature spends a great deal of time trying to assure people’s safety & welfare. They are elected to answer a call to action when there’s a spike in certain illnesses and deaths in specific categories. What if this is much bigger than any spikes we’ve seen?

Over the last two years, we are seeing a massive spike in deaths and the legislature, at least the Democrats simply yawned and shrugged their shoulders. No interest. Let’s see what happens when it strikes their own family. Remind them at that time we’ve already had an almost 18% spoke. A rational human being would be asking questions.

This entire issue is deeply concerning. Our children and their children deserve to have long healthy lives. We need to get to the bottom of this. This is not our future this is their future. If there is even a chance this data is correct, we have a moral obligation to our children to investigate. This data represents a red blinking light. Our government leaders need to be reminded that their primary mission is to listen, learn, respond, examine and take action.

We must pull together on this one and investigate why this is happening.