Bret Weinstein on health: what the evidence says · JRE #2198
SUBJECT: HEALTH
The short answer
Weinstein states that the U.S. averages seven diagnosed cases of Eastern equine encephalitis per year. The CDC's official EEE data page states that an average of 11 human cases of EEE are reported annually in the United States, a figure roughly 55% higher than the number Weinstein cited.
Not a true/false call. Every claim is logged with its sources; read the exhibits below.
If you read up on it, it turns out the average year, there are seven diagnosed cases of this. So it's not like this is a disease that never shows up
What the evidence says 01 / RECORD
Weinstein claimed the United States averages seven diagnosed cases of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) per year. The CDC's official EEE data page states that an average of 11 human cases of EEE are reported annually in the United States, a figure roughly 55% higher than the number Weinstein cited. Other analyses of CDC surveillance data covering 2003-2018 found a somewhat lower average of about eight cases per year (range 4-21), still above Weinstein's figure of seven. Annual counts vary widely year to year, for example the CDC confirmed 38 cases in 2019, well above any of these averages. The core point that EEE is a disease that occurs annually in the U.S. rather than never appearing is accurate, but the specific average-case figure Weinstein gave is lower than the CDC's own published average.