Health Dept. reports flu decline, 454 dengue cases for year to date.

 Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero

By THE STAR STAFF

Health Secretary Víctor Ramos Otero announced on Wednesday a decrease in influenza cases in Puerto Rico, noting that the main surveillance systems for respiratory and arboviral diseases remain below the epidemic threshold.

“The influenza virus continues to circulate on the island, but indicators remain below the epidemic threshold, reflecting sustained yet controlled activity of this respiratory disease,” Ramos Otero said in a written statement.

“It is essential that the public continue to adopt preventive measures to avoid complications, especially among vulnerable populations,” he added.

During Epidemiological Week 14 -- covering the period from April 5 to April 11 -- the Health Department reported 1,005 new cases of influenza, bringing the cumulative total to 63,680 for the 2025-2026 season. The agency indicated that 49.1% of the cumulative cases occurred within the pediatric population (ages 0 to 19), while the regions of Caguas, Ponce and Bayamón continue to record the highest number of infections.

Chief Epidemiologist Miriam Ramos Colón noted that Influenza Type B is currently the predominant strain in Puerto Rico.

“For the week covered by this report, 76.2 percent of cases with valid laboratory confirmation were Influenza Type B,” she said. “This pattern reflects a trend consistent with previous seasons.”

The Health Department further reported that 186 deaths associated with influenza have been confirmed this season, with the majority occurring among adults over the age of 70. Regarding vaccination efforts, the agency noted that 457,868 doses have been administered -- some 76,652 more than were administered by the same date during the previous season.

The agency also reported 132 new cases of COVID-19. The Arecibo region recorded the highest infection rate, and the 0–9 age group was the most affected. So far in 2026, 11 deaths associated with that disease have been recorded.

Separately, the arboviral surveillance system reported nine new cases of dengue during Epidemiological Week 14, for a cumulative total of 454 this year. The Health Department noted that the Caguas region accounts for the highest number of cases and that one death associated with dengue has been confirmed this year.