A General Comment

Any interpretation of the data presented in this report should be undertaken with the following in mind:

1. Chlamydia infection was reported from seven CMCs in 1997 as compared with four in 1996.
2. Malaria data from Guyana for 1997 have not been included in the subregional database, as weekly totals could not be ascertained. However, 34,075 cases of malaria were notified from Guyana in 1996.
3. ARIs among under fives are not under surveillance in four CMCs.
4. Only five CMCs are currently reporting data on genital syndromes.
5. Data on gastroenteritis from Trinidad and Tobago is not age-categorized, and has therefore been excluded from the subregional totals.
6. In 1997, no AIDS Surveillance Reports were received from three countries. In addition, reports are outstanding from some of the larger CMCs including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and the Bahamas.