UPDATED: This Map Shows Where and Who Coronavirus Has Hit the Hardest This Week in PR

The local Medical Task Force lacks COVID tracking information needed to recommend new safety measures that the government will implement on Sept. 11.

SAN JUAN—Puerto Rico’s Medical Task Force is lacking necessary information on the tracking of COVID-19 cases. 

Since the pandemic began last March, a dearth of accurate data has been one of the main problems in dealing with the emergency on the island.

Medical Task Force professionals will meet next Wednesday to make decisions on the new safety restrictions the local government wants to implement on Sept. 11. The team has expressed frustration regarding the lack of tracking information on which to base their decisions.

“We asked the Health Department for data on epidemiological interventions within the community and case tracking, and did not get a response,” Dr. Jorge Santana, a member of the task force, told El Nuevo Día.

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Santana explained the task force would like to know which areas have experienced outbreaks on the island so they can make specific recommendations that will not affect all economic sectors.

Over the past months, there have been inconsistencies between recommendations from the Medical Task Force and the Economic Task Force.

As of Friday, the Health Department reported 16,101 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 18,140 possible cases. The island’s death toll is 455. Of those deaths, 302 are confirmed coronavirus deaths and 153 are from symptoms similar to a COVID infection. There are 382 people hospitalized.

Carla Campos, executive director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, confirmed on Friday to radio program Nación Z that she asked Gov. Wanda Vázquez to approve new measures that would allow the reopening of beaches and swimming pools within hotels.

Currently, the use of pools in hotels and apartment complexes is prohibited. Beaches are open only for people doing exercise, such as runners, swimmers, and surfers.

The island is on Warning Level 3 so the CDC recommends travelers avoid all nonessential flights. 

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Puerto Rico opened for tourism on July 15, when there were 3,119 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the island. Since then, the number of cases has more than doubled. Vázquez rolled back part of the reopening shortly after.

Campos said the tourism company has protocols in place that would help with the reopening of pools and beaches within hotels. The director said the tourist sector has suffered a $270 million loss because of the lockdown.

“We plan to close 2020 with a 55% reduction in tourism revenue, which represents an impact of $1 billion less toward the Puerto Rico gross domestic product,” Campos told El Nuevo Día.

Mapping Out the 16,101 Confirmed Cases as of Sep. 4