US Census Bureau transfiere Oficina del Censo al Instituto de Estadísticas

PRESS RELEASE

The Puerto Rico Statistics Institute collaborates in the development of a data collection tool for COVID-19 from hospitals

The system collects and consolidates daily data on suspected and confirmed cases

Dr. Orville M. Disdier, executive director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics (Institute), reported that the Institute, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the Task Force Physician, the design, development and implementation of a system for the daily collection and consolidation of data on COVID-19 in hospitals was completed. Through this system, epidemiologists at each hospital can easily and quickly enter basic data on suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.

As explained by Disdier, the data required by the system are those necessary for the so-called rapid surveillance system. The content and logistics of this rapid surveillance system were designed and approved by doctors Cynthia Pérez and Enid García, in collaboration with other members of the Task Force and the Department of Health. The variables collected by the system are the following: Gender, age, municipality of residence, date of onset of symptoms, type of exposure, if the person was admitted to the hospital, if the person is on mechanical ventilation, if the person is in intensive care, date of taking the sample, type of test, result of the test, if the person died, and date of death, if that were the case.

“Faced with the urgent need for the Department of Health to have a rapid epidemiological surveillance system in hospitals, the Institute offered full assistance to the Department of Health and the Task Force Doctor. We are very grateful that they have accepted our collaboration. In just one week, we were able to implement the system and at this time hospitals send information in a fast, complete and standardized way about COVID-19 to the Department of Health. Rapid surveillance systems are essential to combat any epidemic or pandemic,” he argued.

The data that hospitals enter into the system is consolidated every day, at approximately 12:00 noon. After consolidation, epidemiologists from the Department of Health verify the quality of the data and make any necessary edits in consultation with hospital epidemiologists. Finally, the consolidated and verified data will be used by the Department of Health to generate daily statistical reports and for other epidemiological surveillance activities. It is also expected that this will help the Department of Health to comply with Act No. 209 of August 28, 2003, which requires them to share the official data generated with the Institute, an aspect with which the Department of Health has not fully complied with until now. In fact, this law establishes that the Institute is a co-owner of all the information and statistical product that government agencies develop, and that it can add and disseminate such information as it deems appropriate. “We urge the Department of Health to comply with the law and to send these and any other data related to COVID-19 to the Institute on a daily basis and promptly so that we can provide citizens with complete, reliable statistics with quick and universal access,” emphasized Dr. Disdier.

Disdier explained that this system of data collection and consolidation did not involve the use of additional funds, since it based its structure on other tools already existing at the Institute and on free-to-use programming languages, such as Python. The Institute's work team dedicated many hours of work to this project, despite all the challenges that COVID-19 represents for everyone in Puerto Rico and the fact that they are currently working remotely from home. The quality, efficiency and effectiveness of this new system is being verified daily by Institute personnel in collaboration with doctors Pérez and García, who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to overcoming COVID-19.

To learn more about the Institute of Statistics, you can access the website: www.estadisticas.pr.gov. On social media through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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PRESS RELEASE

RED STATE DATA CENTER OF PUERTO RICO (SDC‐PR)

Population under 18 has fallen by 36% over the decade

According to new estimates of the population by age and sex 2010-2019

San Juan, PR, June 25, 2020 — The U.S. Census Bureau today released the most recent Annual Population Estimates by age and sex characteristics for municipalities, Puerto Rico and counties in the United States. These statistics refer to July 1, 2019 and include population estimates by age group for each municipality.

On behalf of the State Data Center Network of the U.S. Census Bureau in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute (Institute) reported several findings from the new publication of population estimates for 2019 compared to those of July 1, 2010:

1. From 2010 to 2019, the population under 18 years of age in Puerto Rico reflected a reduction of 324,293 residents, representing a percentage change of ‐ 36%. As of July 1, 2010, this population was 897,024, nine years later in 2019 it is estimated at 572,731.
2. In terms of the proportion of large age groups in the population, those under 18 used to represent 24% (2010) in Puerto Rico, now they comprise 18% (2019).
3. The population structure by age and sex (pyramid) of 2010 compared to that of 2019 shows how the composition has changed rapidly in Puerto Rico. Its base is much narrower, indicating a decline in infants, children and adolescents.
4. On the other hand, the top of the pyramid reflects a significant increase in age groups aged 65 and over, which translates into an older population.
5. Puerto Rico's median age is estimated to have increased about six years over the decade, from 37.0 years in 2010 to 43.2 years in 2019.

“The estimates by demographic characteristics of age and sex allow us to detail the population trend in Puerto Rico. For example, the drastic decline in births has a direct influence and is reflected at the base of the population pyramid. As of 2010, the population in age groups between 0-4 and 5-9 years comprised about 3% of women and men, respectively. In 2019, the base shrank with percentages close to or below 2%,” said Alberto L. Velázquez-Estrada, Manager of Statistical Projects at the Institute.

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The 2019 annual population estimates for Puerto Rico and its municipalities can be accessed on the census data and information page on Puerto Rico of the SDC‐PR network at: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/EstimadosPoblacionales, and more details on the annual estimates at: census.gov/programs‐surveys/popest.html.

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The Institute is an autonomous governmental entity tasked with coordinating the Government's statistical production service to ensure that the systems for collecting data and statistics, on which public policies are based, are complete, reliable and accessible quickly and universally. In addition, as the leading entity of the SDC in Puerto Rico, the Institute manages the SDC portal, which contains the main statistical reports and publications of the U.S. Census Bureau on Puerto Rico, specifically those that are most in demand, such as annual population estimates; the Puerto Rico Community Survey (Puerto Rico Community Survey) and official statistics on Puerto Rico's 10-year population and housing censuses, among others. The Puerto Rico SDC portal can be accessed at: https://censo.estadisticas.pr/.

For more information you can visit the website: www.estadisticas.pr. In addition, you can follow the Institute on social networks through Facebook (@estadisticas .pr), Twitter (@EstadisticasPR) and LinkedIn (Institute of Statistics of Puerto Rico) accounts.

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Press Contact:

Idia Martínez

787‐603‐3200

imartinez@upfrontpr.net

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