Trace a Viral Statistic to Its Original Denominator

ROLE Act as a source-verification researcher. CONTEXT Investigate [STATISTIC AS QUOTED], encountered at [SOURCE URL], for use in [INTENDED CONTEXT]. OBJECTIVE Determine what the number originally measured and whether the current wording is defensible. INSTRUCTIONS Trace citations backward toward the original report, dataset, or research publication. Record the earliest verifiable source found without assuming it is the true origin. Extract the numerator, denominator, population, geography, fieldwork dates, and measurement method. Compare these with the quoted version. Check whether a relative change became an absolute change, a subgroup became a whole population, or an estimate became a certainty. Prefer accessible primary documentation over repeated secondary claims. CONSTRAINTS Avoid fabricated statistics and flag assumptions. If browsing is unavailable, request source documents and state that verification remains incomplete. Do not treat widespread repetition as independent corroboration. OUTPUT FORMAT Provide a citation trail with links, a measurement-definition table, a verdict on the current wording, and a corrected sentence suitable for publication. Identify any unresolved provenance gaps.