A new CDC investigation documents 263 confirmed dengue cases in the U.S. Virgin Islands from January 2024 through June 2025: 118 on St. Croix, 105 on St. Thomas and 40 on St. John. Fifteen patients were hospitalized and one person died, the territory's first confirmed dengue-associated death since 2005.
The report describes a completed outbreak period rather than 263 current infections. Ninety-seven percent of confirmed patients reported no travel during the two weeks before symptoms, supporting local transmission during the outbreak.
Federal and territorial investigators found that the USVI initially had no local dengue diagnostic testing. Samples sent off island took one to two months for results; testing introduced at the Territorial Public Health Laboratory in October 2024 reduced turnaround time to less than one week.
The response also included training at clinics, a provider hotline, mosquito-control work and public outreach. CDC says keeping laboratory, surveillance, vector-control and workforce capacity in place between outbreaks is important for a faster response when dengue returns.
The Health Department should publish a current dengue dashboard showing recent cases, testing turnaround times and neighborhood-level mosquito-control activity so residents can distinguish historical findings from present risk.
Source published October 15, 2026; publication time not displayed. Read the original reporting or release for the complete record.
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