Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment releasing COVID-like data dashboard for monkeypox

STATEWIDE, Colo. (KJCT) - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced Thursday that it has published a data dashboard similar to the one used for the COVID-19 pandemic to track monkeypox infections in Colorado. The CDPHE stated that it created the dashboard with, “extensive input from stakeholders, including trusted community leaders, LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations, and local public health agencies.”

The CDPHE has also confirmed that the type of Monkeypox spreading in the U.S. is rarely deadly and has a fatality rate of less than one percent. It also states that most cases of monkeypox resolve on their own.

The dashboard will be specific to the state and county level, but demographic info will be intentionally reduced to a summary at the state level to prevent personally identifiable information from being shared.

In order to facilitate this on a county level, the dashboard will only display the specific amount of infections if the amount of cases reaches four or more. If the county has no cases, it will display a zero, but if there are one to three cases, the dashboard will only display a ≤3.

“We worked closely with our most trusted health care and community partners to ensure we found the best way to give people the information they need while protecting individuals’ privacy,” said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. “It is important to empower Coloradans with this information that can help people assess their risk and take appropriate steps to protect themselves.”

The CDPHE states that Monkeypox often begins with flu-like symptoms that can include a fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and exhaustion. A rash or skin bumps typically develop within one to three days after the onset of a fever, often beginning in the face before spreading to the rest of the body. Monkeypox can also look like syphilis, herpes, blisters, or acne.

The CDPHE also states that recent cases have not shown symptoms prior to rash or bumps, if they have occurred at all.