Table 2. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES WITH COMPARATIVE DATA: UNITED STATES, (Numbers under diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948) HEPATITIS, Table 2. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES WITH COMPARATIVE DATA: UNITED STATES, Table 3. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES: SELECTED CITIES FOR WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1953 (Numbers after diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948) Table 3. CASES OF SPECIFIED DISEASES: SELECTED CITIES FOR WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 28, 1953-Continued (Numbers after diseases are category numbers of the Sixth Revision of the International Lists, 1948) This is the ninth week in succession that the number of deaths reported in 106 major cities has exceeded the 3-year median for the corresponding week, 1950-52. For the 9-week period ended February 28, a total of 103,945 deaths was reported, 14 percent more than the total of 91,286 deaths for the 9 corresponding weekly 3-year medians. The excess for the current week ended February 28 was 12 percent. This increase in mortality is associated with the recent wide-spread outbreak of upper-respiratory infections. The figures reported represent the number of death certificates received in the vital statistics offices during the week indicated, for deaths occurring in that city. Figures compiled in this way, by week of receipt, usually approximate closely the number of deaths occurring during the week. However, differences are to be expected because of variations in the interval between death and receipt of the certificate. While week-to-week changes in the total number of deaths reported for all major cities generally represent a change in mortality conditions, this may not be true for variations in weekly figures for each city. For example, in a city where 50 deaths are the weekly average, the number of deaths occurring in a week may be expected to vary by chance alone from 36 to 64 (d ± 2Vd, where d represents the average number of deaths per week). The number of deaths in cities of the same size may also differ because of variations in the age, race, and sex composition of their populations, and because some cities are hospital centers serving the surrounding areas. Changes from year to year in the number of deaths may be due in part to population increases or decreases. |