But critics have said the death toll is much higher, noting that a spike in the number of deaths after the storm was not normal. Puerto Rico recorded an official average of 82 deaths a day in the two weeks before Maria hit. The team also will review mortality records from the past 10 years to calculate possible excess deaths and analyze the process that Puerto Rico used to count victims. Puerto Rico government officials have rejected media reports that suggest hundreds of people died as a direct result of the storm, and Rossello called for a review of the death toll in late December. Epidemiologist Carlos Santos warned that the team likely won't have a specific number to offer once their review ends.

Source: ABC News February 22, 2018 18:56 UTC