D.C. creates monkeypox dashboard; will update weekly going forward

Almost all of D.C.’s monkeypox cases are men, with the largest share being white and in their 30s, according to data released Wednesday by the District.

D.C. Health’s data showed that 98% of D.C.’s 350 monkeypox cases have been recorded in men.

White people made up 48% of the city’s reported cases, while Black people made up 37%.

The most affected age range was 30-34 (28% of all cases) followed by 35-39 (22%). Those between the ages of 25-29 (19%) and 40-49 (17%) also had significant representation in the data.

Vaccinations by sex have mainly gone to men (94%) and white people have received the majority of the District’s doses (62%). Black people make up 21% of the city’s vaccinated population.

Most cases are being reported in Ward 1 (21%), Ward 2 (20%) and Ward 5 (13%).

D.C. Health said that the dashboard will be updated every Wednesday at 11 a.m.

The data did not identify cases by sexual preference, but in a press conference last month Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, the former director of D.C. Health, said that gay men were most affected by the disease.

Dr. Nesbitt also said then what the publicly available data shows now — white men in their 30s were the most affected demographic.

The new process comes after a Monday letter from at-large D.C. councilmember Elissa Silverstein was sent to D.C. Health. The letter was signed by seven other councilmembers.

Part of the reason the letter was written was to ease the minds of those outside high-risk groups.

“Many residents who are not considered at high risk for monkeypox are scared for themselves and for their children who will return to school later this month,” Ms. Silverstein wrote. “They do not feel they have sufficient information to know what their own risk is or how to protect themselves and their family members.”

Ms. Silverstein also advocated for “equitable vaccine distribution” in her letter.