Nation ‘The world doesn’t care’: Homeless deaths spiked during pandemic, not from COVID. From drugs. May 28, 2022 Christal Hayes, USA TODAY Comments Off on ‘The world doesn’t care’: Homeless deaths spiked during pandemic, not from COVID. From drugs. Homeless deaths are spiking. Fentanyl, a potent opioid that fueled a record number of overdoses in the U.S. last year, is a likely culprit.