Coverage timeline
Puerto Rico Department of Health
Every story we’ve published that names Puerto Rico Department of Health, newest first.
Stories this week
6
Oct 29 to Nov 4
First named
Jun 25, 2026
52 stories since
Top topic
Community
29 of 52 stories, then Politics
Coverage, newest first
November 2026
Nov 1 to 4
- Ceiba Mayor Disputes Air Force’s $81.9 Million Economic Impact Claim for the Town
Ceiba mayor Samuel Rivera Báez rejected the US military’s claim that its presence generated $81,953,586.25 in economic impact for his town during fiscal year 2026, telling NotiCel by phone that the figure is "casi cero" at the municipal level.
- Puerto Rican Influencer Hospitalized After Catching a Mongoose Thinking It Was a Squirrel
Puerto Rican influencer Juan Otero, known as Yo Soy el Bori Tours on Instagram for documenting his trips to the island’s beaches and rivers, went to a hospital on Monday after realizing the animal he caught was a mongoose, a main carrier of the rabies virus.
- Puerto Rico Health Secretary Reports Pregnant Woman’s Flu Death
A 25-year-old pregnant woman in Puerto Rico died in mid-October from complications of influenza, Puerto Rico Health Department Secretary Víctor Ramos reported on Tuesday, November 3.
October 2026
Oct 29 to 31
- Ganaderos Borges Files Evidence in Federal Court of Steps Taken After Naguabo Pollution Indictment
Ganaderos Borges, a meat production company in Naguabo, Puerto Rico, filed evidence in the federal court in San Juan of measures it has taken since an August federal indictment for polluting bodies of water.
- Puerto Rico Reports 29 Flu Deaths and 13,696 Cases This Season, Health Department Says
Puerto Rico has recorded 13,696 influenza cases, 990 hospitalizations and 29 deaths so far in the 2026-2027 season, according to the Puerto Rico Health Department’s latest report.
- Puerto Rico Weighs Becoming a Clinical Trial Site for Psychedelic Therapies
An advisory committee attached to the Puerto Rico Department of Health will deliver a preliminary report in November on the viability of clinical research into psychedelic "emerging therapies" on the island, but no funding source has yet been identified.
Oct 22 to 28
- Puerto Rico Senate Inspects Condado Drainage and Sea Discharge Points Over Water Quality Concerns
Puerto Rico Senate Vice President Marissa "Marissita" Jiménez Santoni led an on-site inspection in Condado, San Juan, of the storm drainage system, pumping stations and three points where water discharges into the sea.
- Senator Files Bill to Establish ADHD Bill of Rights in Puerto Rico
Senate Popular Democratic Party spokesperson Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz introduced Senate Bill 1593 on October 20 to establish a Bill of Rights for people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Puerto Rico.
- Climate-Driven Heat Waves Cause Millions of Deaths; Puerto Rico Still Undercounts Heat Deaths
Heat caused by climate change killed nearly three million people worldwide between 2016 and 2023, according to a new report published in the medical journal The Lancet by the Lancet Countdown project, which involved 146 researchers.
- Puerto Rico Life Expectancy at Birth Reaches 80.4 Years, with Women at 84.1 and Men at 76.6
Life expectancy at birth in Puerto Rico in 2023 was 84.1 years for women and 76.6 years for men, according to a study published by the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.
- 122 Dogs and Cats Vaccinated and Dewormed at Veterinary Fair in Dorado
Some 122 dogs and cats received rabies vaccines and deworming treatments at a veterinary services fair held Friday on the grounds of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Dorado.
- Barranquitas: Sunday Gathering Offers Emotional Support to Grieving Families
Reborn Family Center will hold a new edition of its free community gathering “Un Café por Nuestros Hijos” this Sunday, October 25, starting at 3:00 PM at the Salón Entre Montañas of Hotel Vista Alegre in Barranquitas.
- Ethics Office Files Complaint Against Former Medicinal Cannabis Inspector
Puerto Rico’s Government Ethics Office (OEG) has filed a complaint against Adair Emilio Pérez Torres, a former inspector of the Medicinal Cannabis Regulatory Board, alleging violations of Article 4.6(b) of Law 12012.
Oct 15 to 21
- AAA Dam Cleaning at Lares Espino Filter Plant on October 27 May Cut Water Service
The Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) will clean the dam at the Lares Espino filter plant on Tuesday, October 27, and will also wash the sedimentation basins and flocculation chamber as required by the Department of Health.
- Rivera Schatz Bill Ties Puerto Rico Doctors’ Tax Incentives to Vital Plan and Hospital Service
Puerto Rico Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz filed Senate Bill 1570, which would overhaul the island’s physician tax incentive program by requiring doctors who receive preferential tax treatment to participate in the government’s Vital health plan and keep an active role in hospitals or primary health centers.
- Puerto Rico Leads the United States in Leptospirosis Cases, with 158 Reported and 14 Deaths
Puerto Rico reports more leptospirosis cases annually to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) than any other US territory, according to the Department of Health.
- Engineer Says Puerto Rico Needs at Least 50 Wells to Avoid Future Water Rationing
Puerto Rico would need at least 50 water wells to avoid future rationing in the face of climate change and recurring droughts, according to engineer Gregory Morris, a leading U.S. water infrastructure expert who worked on the Superaqueduct and other island projects.
Oct 8 to 14
- Contract Watch: LUMA’s $119.9 Million Contract Leads 23 New Filings Over $1 Million
Since Oct 7, 23 government contracts of $1 million or more with private firms have been newly filed in the Comptroller’s contract registry.
- Hospitals Warn Nurse-Ratio Bill Could Cost $64 Million to $100 Million a Year
Puerto Rico hospitals and nurse representatives are debating Senate Bill 867, a proposal to mandate nurse-to-patient ratios.
- FICPRO Urges Review of Government Long-Term Care Reimbursement Rates for People with Intellectual Disabilities
The Puerto Rico Federation of Long-Term Care Institutions (FICPRO) is calling for a comprehensive review of government reimbursement rates for services to people with intellectual disabilities, saying funding must be measured against the actual cost of continuous, quality care.
- Government Accused of Avoiding Public Bidding to Hide Contract Scheme
Luis Javier Hernández Ortiz, spokesperson for the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD) in the Senate, stated on NotiUno 630’s Normando en la Mañana that the government of Governor Jenniffer González Colón avoids public bidding meetings to hide a contract scheme.
- Puerto Rico House to Increase Oversight of Facilities Serving Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
The Puerto Rico House of Representatives will increase oversight of residential facilities serving adults with intellectual disabilities after a recent case of alleged neglect.
Oct 1 to 7
- Cosvi Revamps Brand to Attract Younger Consumers
The Cooperativa de Seguros de Vida de Puerto Rico (Cosvi) is revamping its brand to attract younger consumers and improve profitability.
- Over 800 Pets Vaccinated in San Juan and Humacao
The Colegio de Médicos Veterinarios de Puerto Rico (CMVPR) held a free vaccination event in San Juan and Humacao, where approximately 820 pets, including dogs and cats, received vaccination services.
- Nearly Half of Puerto Rico’s Dengue Cases Ended in Hospitalization
Nearly half of the people who contracted dengue in Puerto Rico through September had to be hospitalized.
- Governor Signs Laws on Property Registry, Youth Sports Safety, Frontotemporal Dementia Awareness
Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed Senate Bill 707, now Law 197-2026, which amends several provisions of the Real Property Registry Act to align them with Puerto Rico’s 2020 Civil Code.
September 2026
Sep 29 to 30
- Health Department Investigating Two Deaths Possibly Linked to Dengue, Keeps Avian Flu Surveillance Active
The Puerto Rico Department of Health is maintaining active epidemiological surveillance for possible cases of avian influenza, particularly when the simultaneous death of several birds is reported.
- Health Department Official Warns a Drop in Vaccination Could Bring Measles Back to Puerto Rico
Dr. Iris Cardona, the Puerto Rico Department of Health’s chief medical officer, warned that a sustained reduction in vaccination levels could open the door to new measles outbreaks and eventually allow the virus to circulate locally in Puerto Rico again.
- Puerto Rico Faces Growing Pediatrician Shortage as Doctors Age and Retire
Puerto Rico is experiencing a worsening shortage of pediatricians as the existing workforce ages and few new doctors open private practices, according to an El Vocero report cited by The Weekly Journal.
Sep 22 to 28
- Fiscal Board Approves Only 25% of Funds Requested for AAA Wells
The Fiscal Oversight Board (JSF) approved only 25% of the emergency reserve funds requested by the Puerto Rico government to rehabilitate five wells of the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA).
- Coamo Mayor Requests Inspection of Cattle Farm Due to Odor Complaints
The mayor of Coamo, Juan Carlos García Padilla, has requested an inspection of a cattle farm, Ganadería Don Corral, in Quebrada Grande, due to months of complaints from residents about strong odors.
- Analyst Luis Dávila Colón Calls Tourism and Health the Most Corrupt PR Agencies, Says Island Remains 'Socialist'
Analyst Luis Dávila Colón, in an interview on Normando en la Mañana on NotiUno 630, argued Puerto Rico 'has not stopped being a socialist country' because its government apparatus continues to revolve around the state and public employees, calling populism an 'endemic disease' with 'absolutely no solution' regardless of which administration governs.
- West Puerto Rico Towns Report 2,300 Alzheimer’s and Dementia Cases Since 2008
According to Puerto Rico’s Department of Health Alzheimer’s Registry, more than 2,300 cases of Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease and other dementias were recorded between 2008 and 2024 in the western municipalities of Aguada (743 cases), Moca (666), Añasco (594) and Rincón (297), all part of Representative District 18.
Sep 15 to 21
- Call to Get Vaccinated Against Influenza Amid Increase in Cases
The organization VOCES, Coalición de Inmunización y Promoción de la Salud en Puerto Rico, is urging the population to get vaccinated against influenza amid an increase in cases in recent weeks.
Sep 8 to 14
- Trump Administration Proposes English-Only Teaching Mandate for Head Start, Affecting 25,000 PR Children
The Trump administration’s Department of Health, through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), proposed changes to Head Start rules that would require programs to teach children exclusively in English, following an executive order from President Donald Trump.
August 2026
Aug 22 to 28
- Meta to Pay Puerto Rico $124.7 Million in Social Media Harm Settlement
Puerto Rico’s Department of Justice joined a multistate settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc., owner of Instagram and Facebook, that guarantees the island $124.7 million to fund programs addressing harm to Puerto Rican children and youth from excessive social media use, payable in ten installments.
Aug 15 to 21
- Heat-Related Hospital Visits Surge in Puerto Rico Amid Intense Heat Wave
Puerto Rico’s Department of Health reports a sharp rise in hospital and doctor visits linked to heat exhaustion amid an unusually intense El Niño-driven heat wave.
Aug 1 to 7
- Puerto Rico Aims to Become Hub for Emerging Therapies
Governor Jenniffer González Colón signed an Executive Order establishing a committee to outline public policies aimed at strengthening clinical research, promoting controlled clinical trials, and expanding the scientific capacity of Puerto Rico’s healthcare system in emerging therapies.
July 2026
Jul 22 to 28
- Dirt in Water Tanks Allegedly Causes Black, Foul-Smelling Water at Hato Rey Hospital
The president of the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority, Luis R. González Delgado, stated that dirt in the water tanks at the Hospital Pavía in Hato Rey is likely the cause of the black, foul-smelling water that has been affecting the hospital for several days.
Jul 15 to 21
- Cyclosporiasis: Health Department Remains Vigilant Despite No New Cases
The Puerto Rico Department of Health reported a case of cyclosporiasis, but it was an international traveler who did not contract the illness on the island and has already been treated, according to Miriam Ramos, the agency’s principal epidemiologist.
- Puerto Rico Governor Signs Law Raising Fines for Not Yielding to Emergency Vehicles
- $319,586 Gift Funds UPR Neurosurgery Residency Through 2032
- PR Senate Begins On-Site Inspections of Medical Cannabis Program