HHS launches Coronavirus Data Hub

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) unveiled a new Coronavirus Data Hub that shows COVID-19 patient data. The newly launched data hub is a result of the Trump administration’s decision to order hospitals to circumvent the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and report directly to the HHS, which drew a slew of criticisms. The website centralises HHS open data on COVID-19 pandemic as well as non-government datasets from academia, non-profit organisations, industry, and hospitals.

According to a report, some hospital associations questioned accuracy of data available to the public on the website. For instance, the HHS data hub is listing hospitals that are closed as no case reported. An HHS spokesperson said the agency encourages states to report such errors.