U.S. Virgin Islands
- Population: 106,405
- Local Health Departments: N/A
- Frequent Public Health Emergencies: Drought, Flooding, Tropical Storms/Hurricanes
- Key Emergency Operations Center Activations: 2020: COVID-19 Pandemic
- CDC PHEP Funding:
FY 2022: $466,932
FY 2021: $478,140
FY 2020: $466,904 - Public Health Crisis Response Funding
Mpox 2023 funding:Mpox 2022 funding:
COVID-19 2021 funding: $760,742
COVID-19 2020 funding: $1,257,301
- Planners: 1
- Other: 3*
*Includes IT specialists, administrative staff, statisticians, and other positions
1 Career Epidemiology Field Officer
- Community Preparedness
- Medical Countermeasure Dispensing
- Emergency Operations Coordination
- Emergency Public Information and Warning
- Information Sharing
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, PHEP supports a CDC field scientist who works with local staff to improve surveillance, strengthen outbreak response, and conduct epidemiologic investigations. In September 2017, two Category 5 hurricanes—Irma and Maria—struck the U.S. Virgin Islands within a two-week period. Severe damage to the territory’s infrastructure left many residents without electricity or safe household water for months. The CDC scientist, alongside local staff, coordinated evacuations, sheltering, and distribution of medical supplies. They also led multiple rapid needs assessments to determine the health status and basic needs of the community so emergency managers could act quickly.
In February 2016, the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) activated its Emergency Operations Center to respond to the Zika virus outbreak. With normal capacities overwhelmed, USVI hosted more than 100 rotating staff from partner organizations, including CDC, to help with mosquito control, risk communication, and disease tracking. The PHEP-supported Incident Command structure, along with a PHEP-funded epidemiologist who managed the response, allowed for seamless expansion of normal operations.
CDC has linked corporate partners with local health departments to help fight Zika. During popular community events known as Zika Action Days, community members receive valuable Zika prevention information and products. Events have been held in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and Florida.