Florida disease-tracking chart returns: Measles, mpox, hepatitis surveillance now available
May 27, 2025
The restoration of Florida’s public disease surveillance data is a timely and crucial development. With rising mpox, measles, and pertussis cases, real-time information empowers clinicians, parents, and communities to respond swiftly and make informed decisions about vaccination and public health measures. Broward County, now leading in mpox cases, exemplifies why such transparency is essential. As vaccine-preventable diseases surge—amid dropping immunization rates—surveillance is not a luxury; it is a public health necessity. Florida’s decision to resume reporting is not just good governance—it is a safeguard for children and communities.
Florida’s reinstatement of its public disease-tracking dashboard marks a pivotal return to health transparency at a time when it is desperately needed. With 13 mpox cases statewide—three in Broward County alone—and a nationwide resurgence of measles and whooping cough, the ability to access timely and localized data is vital for both clinical practice and public awareness.
The recent data are sobering. Pertussis has surged with 614 cases in Florida in just the first five months of 2025. Measles, among the most contagious diseases, is back, and leprosy has not disappeared. Mpox, reclassified from its former name monkeypox, is again appearing in clusters, reminding us of the 2022 outbreak that gripped multiple U.S. states.
Such trends would be worrying under any circumstances, but they are particularly alarming in a state where only 88.1% of kindergartners are vaccinated against measles—far below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity. When preventive measures fail or are neglected, surveillance becomes the community’s last line of defense. Dr. Aileen Marty of Florida International University put it plainly: without timely data, families and clinicians are left in the dark.
The quiet removal of Florida’s disease chart earlier this year, coinciding with rising case counts, drew justified criticism. Its reappearance is not just an administrative fix; it is a recommitment to public trust and evidence-based health policy.
Public health is built on awareness, action, and accountability. This data restoration must now be matched by outreach, vaccination drives, and political will to ensure that transparency is not sporadic—but standard. If Florida is to prevent another preventable epidemic, its leadership must prioritize visibility over convenience, and prevention over politics.