The data presented in Appendix 1 of this report should be interpreted with the following in mind:

1. Acute Respiratory Infections among children less than five years of age, are not under surveillance in seven CAREC member countries, namely Aruba, the Bahamas, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Curacao & the Netherlands Antilles, Jamaica and Suriname.

2. Data on gastroenteritis from Trinidad and Tobago are not provided in an age categorized format and have, therefore, been excluded from the age-specific sub-regional totals. However, 3,632 cases of gastroenteritis were reported for the period under review.
3. No weekly communicable diseases reports were received from Belize, Guyana, Aruba and Curacao & the Netherland Antilles during the period under review.

4. Data on sexually transmitted infections and syndromes in 2001 are incomplete at this time, as data were not received from some of the larger CMCs.

5. Data reported on indigenous malaria for the period under review are incomplete at this time as no reports have been received from Guyana and Belize.