Puerto Rico Deaths Spike, but Few Are Attributed to Hurricane

Wish that I could wiggle my nose and all the top government officials that are slowing down help in PR, would suddenly appear on the Island, with just the cloths on their back, should be placed in different parts separated, and have to help the people there.

How disingenuous to say deaths in hospital were caused by lack of power while refusing tp acknowledge that there was no lack of power before the hurricane. Irene here in Vermont and Sandy in the mid-Atlantic taught us to consider water damage as a separate factor along with wind speed, Maria should be reminding us of Katrina’s lesson that infrastructure destruction is a sure-fire consequence of superstorms in places already neglected. Or maybe even that explanation is wrong. Up here in New England, we just had a wind storm that knocked out power for tens of thousands. Lots of tree debris and power lines came down on roads. Yet within a week,most of the power was back on and life was back to normal. During that time my homebound wife had a medical emergency, and our hospital was fine. It is massive and well-stocked with everything it needs no matter what. And who can forget how quickly the New York Stock Exchange reopened after both 9/11 and superstorm Sandy. So maybe we need to quit saying the hurricane killed these people in Puerto Rico and own their deaths as inevitable consequences of the way our country devalues them politically. First we thwart their opportunity to “thrive”, as doctors call it, then we cynically blame their frailty when they cannot clean up from a natural disaster without massive aid - Massive aid we get quickly up here in the Northeast. Did someone point out there is a racial difference between New England and Puerto Rico? Hmmmm....

@Mr Boomer early comment. FEMA has implemented a "transportation assistance". Although I don't believe they called it that. Bush shipped thousands of Katrina homeless people all over the country. Rather quickly too. Go read a history book and find out how to do it. Call Bush up. He ain't doing much.

Relying on death certificates is primitive in an era in which macro statistical analysis can be made. For example, it is well known that the third leading cause of death is medical mistake accounting for about 10% of all deaths. It is never reported on death certificates filled out by doctors. This is not a surprise. What doctor is going to fill in “Me” in the space left for “cause of death” ?

If there were ever a series of events that highlights present day racism, this is it. Katrina faded into the background for America, and now that the suffering of our own people is glossed over in the media with "Inspiring America" type fluff pieces, it should come as no shock to anyone that Puerto Rico is screwed. Someone here called this an era of lies. The lies have always been there. They are just bald faced lies now. (Credit GHWB for that term.)

The death toll ought to include the 472 who died from drinking standing water in the back country, and from the bacteria released by dead animals and from the near starvation that followed the destruction of fruit and vegetable farms -- all of this a direct result from the hurricane. It takes a long time for people to die from environmental disruption, and the people who have managed to get down to the island the United States owns who are working to rescue those suffering the devastation deserve to watch our government do the right thing and send help.

Mr. Hector Pesquera does not want to question 29,649 doctors in Puerto Rico to figure out which deaths are attributable to the terrible conditions there. Hmmm. The 2017 authoritative physician workforce document just published by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) indicates that there are just under 10,000 active physicians on the island. I hope some of his other numbers are more accurate.

It is patently obvious that hospitals without power are going to cause deaths, disease, and injury compared to hospitals that are running with all the things they normally consider essential. It is also obvious that day to day life without power and clean water is going to create a tremendous struggle, where people are put in conditions more dangerous than normal. *Every* excess death compared to the normal baseline until the power grid and clean water systems are completely restored should be attributed to the hurricane, regardless of an autopsy-verified direct cause. It's clear that the infrastructure has been so damaged that even counting bodies accurately is beyond what is possible there now.

Until some semblance of order and normalcy is returned, per usual, the gov't is going to bury its findings and make excuses while the flood of public complaints flow in.

Please continue bringing our attention to the plight of the Puerto Rican people. I fear as time goes on we are starting to forget the suffering that continues on the island.

Please continue to report on the plight of Puerto Rico's citizens. We've seen how Houston and Florida are slowly but surely getting back to normal but the US territory and its American citizens are still struggling as evidenced by the continuing death toll attributable in large part by the failure of the mainland politicians.

Unconscionable that this administration gives Puerto Rico a song and dance while people suffer so. (Oh, but send Betsy DeVos down there. THAT's a big help.) No light and no clean water. Our inept leadership turning its back. Where is the outcry? Oh, I know. We're too busy worry about building border walls.

anything at all (any lie at all- inauguration?) to make Trump look good who cares if there are deaths? didn't he say this: I am all that matters!

"Nice Job Brownie!"

I want NYT to keep Puerto Rico recovery as part of their daily briefings and front page news until we do better.

'' But because there is so little available lodging on the island, and no easy way to get people from shelters to safe housing...'' Why is that ? That is because the disaster recovery has been woefully inept and a disaster in itself. It is easier ( more costly ) to move the people instead of fixing the problems. That ultimately creates more pennies on the dollar real estate to be swooped up and bought out, and disaster relief companies to pocket more profit in supporting those moved. Disgraceful .

We are in the "Era of lies"... At every turn, our government is lying to protect itself and those who it now represents. It does not represent the people any more. I am in awe of how quickly it has permeated across the board. When your President lies every day, multiple times a day, it sets the example. VOTE.

Just as we were told by the San Juan Mayor. \They are dying down there. The Administration's self congratulations were premature and hollow. Will they continue to offer only their thoughts and prayers?

The toll of human suffering in Puerto Rico in the wake of the hurricane is beyond tragic; it is outright criminal. Having lived on the island during Hurricane Georges -- a severe storm in its own right but no where near as powerful as the latest hurricane -- it took long enough for much of the island to get back on its feet back then. The infrastructure and power grid were horrible decades ago and I'm shocked, in the 21st century, things seem to have only gotten worse instead of better over the years on the island. The wonderful people of Puerto Rico deserve better.