DENVER (KDVR) — As the monkeypox virus continues to spread in Colorado and the Denver metro area, the state’s health department is adding a new tool to its website to keep citizens up to date on the latest information.
Similar to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s COVID-19 dashboard, the new monkeypox data dashboard shows data on a state and county level, but only includes demographic data on a statewide level, so no potentially identifiable information is shared.
While the number of cases in Colorado remains low, monkeypox cases have been on the rise over the late summer months.
As of Thursday morning, there have been 168 monkeypox cases reported in Colorado, but the numbers are surging in the late summer months. CDPHE recorded two cases in May, six in June, 66 in July, and 94 in August so far.
A majority (85%) of the cases are among men, mainly concentrated in the Denver metro area. Two out of three cases are among people who identify as lesbian or gay, however, that proportion could be higher since 12% of respondents did not fill out their sexual orientation when asked.
“The reason we’re concerned and paying attention is we have an opportunity that, I think is much greater than we had with COVID, to actually control it,” Chief Medical Officer at Denver Health Dr. Connie Price said during a news conference Thursday with CDPHE. “Monkeypox is not as transmissible as COVID, and it seems unlikely that it would evolve to be that way.”
The new dashboard has information on where to get tested for monkeypox, what to do if you have monkeypox and information on local vaccine clinics.
According to the dashboard, six Coloradans have been hospitalized by monkeypox, but there have been no reported deaths in the state. You can learn more about the impact monkeypox has made so far in Colorado by watching the latest briefing with CDPHE on FOX31 NOW in the player above.