Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: WHO corrected its table

[Giuseppe]

There is a discrepancy in the figures regarding human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) reported to date in Egypt since the beginning of 2011.

In fact, in the cumulative number of cases and deaths table released by the World Health Organization on June 22 2011, Egypt accounted for 31 cases including 12 deaths. (LINK)

In today WHO table update, Egypt accounts for 25 cases including 8 fatalities. (LINK)

It would be interesting to see if this is a technical error during table completion or a revision of diagnosis for the excluded cases.

 

[sharon sanders]

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Thank you Giuseppe. I am also looking for an explanation. At this point we are not changing our totals here:

http://www.flutrackers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=166882


I do not see any possible double counts. All the cases have different sexes, ages, locations.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

The most simple explanation for this discrepancy is a bad copy-and-paste operation (even big agencies make mistake!).

Cambodia reported a human H5N1 case on June 10 2011 (LINK) and the case summary table was adjusted accordingly (LINK).

The table accounted for Egypt 25 cases of H5N1 including 8 deaths as reported in yesterday update, after the new Cambodian case addition (LINK).

Thus, the apparent decline in human Egyptian H5N1 cases is almost surely the effect of a mistake rather than a revision of diagnosis for past cases.

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

The most simple explanation for this discrepancy is a bad copy-and-paste operation (even big agencies make mistake!).

Cambodia reported a human H5N1 case on June 10 2011 (LINK) and the case summary table was adjusted accordingly (LINK).

The table accounted for Egypt 25 cases of H5N1 including 8 deaths as reported in yesterday update, after the new Cambodian case addition (LINK).

Thus, the apparent decline in human Egyptian H5N1 cases is almost surely the effect of a mistake rather than a revision of diagnosis for past cases.

Giuseppe is most likely correct. Through June 22th, WHO reported a total of 31 confirmed human cases in Egypt since January 1, 2011 and a total of 46 from around the world. The addition of a new confirmed case from Cambodia brings the total to 47 for the year. The marginal totals for 2011 shown in the table is 47, which ought to be the correct total for the year. Yet the summed total from the table for all countries to date in 2011 is only 41, not 47. There is an apparent error in the table for the 2011 counts for Egypt. If not, then the marginal total for 2011 and the grand total of cases are incorrect.

The ability to accurately update this cumulative table does not reflect well on WHO or inspire confidence in their tabulation software.

 

[Giuseppe]

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Re: Egypt, Cumulative Number of A (H5N1) virus human infections: revised WHO figures contain less cases than earlier update (August 3 2011)

Corrected!

New versione of the updated table: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/country/cases_table_2011_08_02/en/index.html

Egypt accounts correctly for 31 cases including 12 deaths of H5N1 avian influenza virus infections for the 2011.