BREAKING: Pres. Trump rejects independent study that reports an estimated 2,975 people died in Puerto Rico in 5 months after Hurricane Maria; provides no evidence to discount the study; declares, without evidence, that the higher death toll is political ploy to make him look bad.
President Trump argues that the preliminary death toll he was given immediately after Hurricane Maria could not have gone up to the toll that independent study reports with an estimated 2,975 people dead; he does not site evidence to back up his refutation of the study.
Last month, Puerto Rico increased its official Hurricane Maria death toll estimate to 2,975 after release of report commissioned by officials. nbcnews.to/2NwJHIM
According to the independent report, the number of excess deaths, which took place from Sept. 2017 to Feb. 2018, represent a 22% increase from what would have been expected during that time period.
The study said that the risk of dying over this period was 60% higher among people living in the poorest municipalities and 35% higher among elderly men. Researchers said that the elevated risk of death persisted beyond the 5 months that were studied for these two subgroups.
The president's tweets rejecting the high death toll in Puerto Rico come as millions across the US southeast are hunkering down for a direct hit from Hurricane Florence on Thursday.
In another review, a Harvard Univ. study in May estimated that 4,645 more people died from Sept. 20 to Dec. 31, 2017, than in that same period in 2016. nbcnews.to/2NwJHIM
You can read the full Harvard study here:
Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
The 'Mortality in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria' study explains its background, methods, result and conclusions here. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10… 
A look at how the Harvard study determined population estimation for their study. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
A look at how the Harvard study defined their statistical analysis for the study. nejm.org/doi/full/10.10…
Statement from George Washington University:
"We stand by the science underlying our study which found there were an estimated 2,975 excess deaths in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria."
"We stand by the science underlying our study which found there were an estimated 2,975 excess deaths in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria."
