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Could someone explain the graph used in the article where the y-axis is labeled as "cumulative" -- does this mean that each bin includes the sums from the previ
by waynecochran 7y ago
Could someone explain the graph used in the article where the y-axis is labeled as "cumulative" -- does this mean that each bin includes the sums from the previous bins? If so, then this will always be a non-decreasing graph. Ebola outbreaks are horrible, but it doesn't do any good to use stupid graphs like this to make it look worse than it is.
- thenipper 7y agoIf they're using the same data source I am at work it's because that is what the ministry of health for the DRC is releasing daily. They don't track active cases but rather cumulative cases in a health zone.
- thenipper 7y agoAlso if you want to explore the data UN OCHA has it here: https://data.humdata.org/dataset/ebola-cases-and-deaths-drc-north-kivu https://data.humdata.org/dataset/ebola-cases-and-deaths-drc-...
- teilo 7y agoYes, you have it exactly right. That graph makes it look like ebola is progressing at a logarithmic rate. It's not. It's nearly linear.
- waynecochran 7y agoI am all for fighting something as horrible as Ebola, but you can't do this ... actual rate => graph const rate => linear graph linear rate => quadratic graph quadratic rate => cubic graph ...
- Balgair 7y agoWHO reports are much better overall: https://www.who.int/ebola/situation-reports/drc-2018/en/ https://www.who.int/ebola/situation-reports/drc-2018/en/
- waynecochran 7y agoBut you can't trust Nature?
- Balgair 7y agoMy apologies. I meant to say that the WHO reports are generally more informative and better presented to me. Nature's article is good, but I find the WHO reports better.
- RandomInteger4 7y agoNo, cumulative is correct if you want to show a rate increase which you clearly see twice based on this graph.
- cotelletta 7y agoAn increase which would be even more obvious had they differentiated subsequent data points. They'd look like giant stair steps.