News Releases

New Monkeypox Case Dashboard Launched by Ohio Department of Health

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) unveiled a new dashboard on Aug. 25 to keep the public up to date on the status of monkeypox cases throughout the state.

Available on the ODH website, the Monkeypox Cases Overview dashboard and interactive map easily highlights the total number of cases across Ohio and separates the numbers by county, age range of those affected, percentage of cases by sex, and all outcomes, including hospitalizations and deaths.

Updated weekly on Thursdays, the dashboard is modeled after previous infectious disease outbreak ODH dashboards. As of Sept. 1, there have been 184 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Ohio with Franklin (35 cases) and Cuyahoga County (90 cases) accounting for many of the cases in the state. Since the state’s first case of monkeypox on June 13, the disease has primarily affected men (97% of cases) and resulted in 0 deaths.

As cases continue to climb nationally and here in Ohio, this new dashboard can be a helpful resource to all Ohioans looking for current information on the health status of their communities. 

“The Ohio Department of Health has been working closely with our local health department partners and healthcare providers to provide monkeypox testing, case investigation, contact tracing, and prevention and treatment options. As cases do continue to rise, we want to keep Ohioans informed about this outbreak, and what steps they should take to protect themselves,” said ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff. “The risk of contracting monkeypox for most Ohioans remains low, as this virus does not easily spread like COVID-19. However, it is important to continue to do all we can to mitigate the spread of this virus and to reduce the burden of illness.” 

Typically spread through prolonged, close face-to-face contact, direct contact with the rash or through shared personal items with someone who has been infected, symptoms include a rash that may appear to be blisters or pimples and soon change to scabs. Additional symptoms may include flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, cough, chills or exhaustion. Symptoms vary by person. People who have been exposed to monkeypox or believe they may be at high risk for exposure should contact their healthcare provider or local health department for more information about vaccine or possible treatment options. 

Here in Northeast Ohio, the Cuyahoga County Board of Health is offering monkeypox vaccinations. Appointments are available on Tuesdays and Fridays and can be reserved online. Information about eligibility is available here.

For general information about monkeypox, please visit ODH’s Frequently Asked Questions about Monkeypox and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Monkeypox website for more detailed information, including diagnostic testing, reporting, treatment and public health management.