Mortality in Puerto Rico following Hurricane María

Last month in collaboration with my friend and colleague Jeffrey Howard (Applied Demographer and Epidemiologist) I estimated the number of deaths that could be attributed (directly or indirectly) to Hurricane María. The report was posted in the SocArXiv repository and it is titled "Estimates of excess deaths in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria".

The report got attention from Vox, CNN, CBS News, El Nuevo Dia, and many other media outlets.

We estimated deaths to be ~500 and if the mortality pattern found for September held in October then it would imply 500 more deaths, for a grand total of ~1,000.

Here is one of my interventions in one of the programs in Puerto Rico.

This is one example on how estimates and projections can help inform the academic and policy community in moment of uncertainty.

Do demography, and do it for good!