So, we can agree (I hope) that the dead give us the best numbers. But there are “lots of dead”. Total dead, dead ratios, etc. but the best dead is #new deaths. Now we have to decide what do we do with the #? The way epidemiologists do this is quite different from how “Finance guys” might do so and for the following reason. Medically we want the information to provide us with just three things. We know from history that viruses are predictable. Especially new viruses that spread in a “virgin” population. In fact fewer things in life are more predictable.
I’m with you.