Puerto Rico’s Governor Acknowledges Hurricane Maria Official Death Toll Was Nearly 3,000, Not 64
While higher fatality figures have been debated for nearly a year, Puerto Rico's government didn't officially recognize them until the release of a new report Tuesday. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said he would move immediately to improve the process for certifying deaths and communicating information among public and private health workers.
The New York Times:
Nearly A Year After Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico Revises Death Toll To 2,975
A long-awaited analysis of Hurricane Maria’s deadly sweep through Puerto Rico prompted the government on Tuesday to sharply increase the official death toll. The government now estimates that 2,975 people died as a result of the disaster and its effects, which unfolded over months. The new assessment is orders of magnitude greater than the previous official tally of 64, which was not revised for nearly a year despite convincing evidence that the official death certificates failed to take full account of the fatal and often long-range impacts from the storm across the island. (Fink, 8/28)
Reuters:
Puerto Rico Death Toll Official Estimate From Hurricane Maria Rises To 2,975
The updated figure came from an academic study commissioned by Rossello from George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public health. It calculated the number of deaths that could be attributed directly or indirectly to Maria from the time it struck in September 2017 to mid-February of this year, based on comparisons between predicted mortality under normal circumstances and deaths documented after the storm. (Gorman and Borter, 8/28)
The Washington Post:
Study: Hurricane Maria And Its Aftermath Caused A Spike In Puerto Rico Deaths, With Nearly 3,000 More Than Normal
The government of Puerto Rico on Tuesday embraced the GWU estimate as the official death toll, ranking Maria among the deadliest natural disasters in U.S. history. For much of the past year, the government had formally acknowledged just 64 deaths from the hurricane, which ravaged much of the territory and destroyed critical infrastructure. The spike in mortality came as the territory dealt with widespread and lengthy power outages, a lack of access to adequate health care, water insecurity and diseases related to the crisis. (Hernandez, Schmidt and Achenbach, 8/28)
The Hill:
Hurricane Maria Caused Estimated 2,975 Deaths In Puerto Rico: Study
The report found the risk of death was 45 percent higher for "populations living in low socioeconomic development municipalities" and men 65 years or older, ABC News reported. ... Puerto Rico only recently regained most of its electricity after the storm caused the second-largest blackout in history. The island is still suffering from the consequences of Hurricane Maria as it gears up for another hurricane season. (Birnbaum, 8/28)
The Wall Street Journal:
Puerto Rico Governor Raises Hurricane Maria Death Toll To Nearly 3,000
Puerto Rico’s government has faced criticism for nearly a year that it drastically undercounted the number of fatalities caused by Maria. Earlier this month, it acknowledged in a document filed to Congress that the death toll from Maria was much higher than the official total. Gov. Ricardo Rosselló said at a news conference Tuesday that he would sign an executive order updating the official death toll, with the caveat that the number was an estimate. And he said he took responsibility as the island’s governor for mishandling the fatality-count issue. “Yes, I made mistakes. Yes, in hindsight, things could have been handled differently,” Mr. Rosselló said. “My commitment as governor is accepting that criticism, but also building on it.” (Campo-Flores, 8/28)
Kaiser Health News:
Hurricane Maria’s Official Death Toll In Puerto Rico Now Stands At Nearly 3,000
Hurricane Maria barreled into Puerto Rico Sept. 20 as a Category 4 storm. Destruction was widespread, severely crippling the island. Both the electrical and water systems were knocked out in some areas for months. Hospitals and other public health services were damaged, doctors’ offices lost power and often remained closed and medical supplies were difficult to find. Health advocates scoffed at the government’s initial death toll and said many people died after the storm because they lacked medicine, couldn’t get adequate medical treatment or had chronic diseases that were aggravated by the post-storm conditions. (Heredia Rodriguez, 8/29)
Modern Healthcare:
Report: Hurricane Maria Caused Nearly 3,000 Deaths In Puerto Rico
The analysis cited a number of factors for the crisis after the hurricane. One of the most notable challenges was the lack of trained personnel, causing the island's emergency response to be inadequate for certifying deaths. Also, the report cited an overall lack of a formalized command structure for emergency communications, which led to a breakdown in coordination between central and municipal governments. (Johnson, 8/28)
