The rapid spread of the mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus is exposing critical vulnerabilities in the Caribbean region’s public health data collection and information-sharing practices.

As of 12 September 2014, the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) reported that 113 deaths in the Caribbean have been caused by Chikungunya (or see PDF archived below) since 18 November 2013, when five residents of (French) St Martin presented with symptoms. But there are significant differences between the Chikungunya statistics being quoted by journalists and public health officials. The discrepancies suggest that real-time data are not being effectively collected, processed and presented by Caribbean media and public health institutions.

A new open journalism project (codename: Head Count) is now attempting to quantify, explain and reduce the differences between Chikungunya statistics being quoted by journalists and public health officials.

More to come