Communicable Diseases Feedback Report 2000 Weeks 1-12
General Comments Regarding Table 1
Any interpretation of the data presented in Table 1 of this report should be
undertaken with the following in mind:
- The AIDS Surveillance System is based on quarterly reporting, which only
becomes due at six weeks following closure of any given quarter. During the
period under review, AIDS data was only received from one country, the
Cayman Islands.
- Acute Respiratory Infections among under fives are not under surveillance
in seven CAREC member countries.
- Data on gastroenteritis from Trinidad and Tobago is not provided in an
age-categorized format, and have, therefore, been excluded from the
age-specific subregional totals. However, 3,037 cases of gastroenteritis
were notified from that country during epidemiologic weeks 1-12 of 2000.
- Late or non-reporting of communicable disease data from CMCs impacts
significantly on our rate calculations, especially when countries with large
populations are involved. For example, the reported sub-regional incidence
rates for genital discharge and genital ulcer syndromes appear low, because
no data on sexually transmitted infections or syndromes has been received
from Jamaica, our largest member, for the period under review. During the
corresponding period of 1999, however, 97% of the total number of reported
cases of genital discharge syndrome and 98% of the notified cases of genital
ulcer syndrome had been recorded from Jamaica.
- A similar situation applies to case notifications of indigenous malaria as
no communicable disease reports have been received either from Suriname or
Guyana.
During this reporting period no weekly communicable disease reports have been
received from Aruba, the Netherlands Antilles, Guyana, Suriname and St.
Christopher/Nevis.
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