2025 Epidemiology Report Shows Disease Trends, Responses

Virgin Islands Department of Health Releases 2025 Epidemiology Annual Report

Home » Virgin Islands Department of Health Releases 2025 Epidemiology Annual Report

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — The Virgin Islands Department of Health is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Epidemiology Annual Report which provides a comprehensive overview of disease trends, public health responses, and key accomplishments of the Epidemiology Division over the past year.

The report is available on the Department’s website, www.doh.vi.gov.

“As Commissioner of Health, I am proud to present the 2025 Epidemiology Annual Report, which reflects our unwavering commitment to protecting the health of our community through evidence-based practice and strong partnerships,” said Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion. “This report tracks our progress and also reinforces our focus on addressing ongoing challenges such as chronic disease prevention, access to care, and mental health support.”

The 2025 report highlights the Department’s steadfast focus on data-driven public health action, including strengthened disease surveillance systems, expanded community outreach, and rapid response to emerging health threats. Notable achievements include the successful containment of a territory-wide Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease outbreak, enhanced monitoring of endemic diseases such as dengue, influenza, and COVID-19.

The report outlines key public health trends in the Territory, including 378 confirmed influenza cases, 140 COVID-19 cases with no reported fatalities, and 47 confirmed dengue cases in 2025. Additional focus areas include lead exposure surveillance, food and waterborne illness tracking, wastewater surveillance, and ongoing efforts to improve health data accessibility.

The report also features the division’s latest surveillance tools enhancements with the transition to a cloud-based surveillance system that strengthens interoperability and supports real-time data reporting, and the expansion of public-facing tools such as the Epidemiology Data Dashboard to improve transparency and community engagement.

In 2025, the Epidemiology Division launched the Department’s Epidemiology Data Dashboard on the Department’s website. The data dashboard is a modernized, cloud-based disease surveillance system that improves reporting timeliness and data quality.

Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis emphasized the role of tracking systems in identifying prevention measures.

“Disease monitoring remains the cornerstone of our work,” Dr. Ellis said. “With timely data, we can detect emerging threats, respond quickly, and implement targeted interventions to protect Virgin Islands residents. Ongoing investments in data modernization and workforce development continue to position the Territory as a leader in innovation.”

Residents, healthcare providers, and stakeholders are encouraged to review the full report to better understand the health trends impacting the Territory and the Department’s ongoing efforts to promote a healthier, more resilient Virgin Islands.

The full 2025 Epidemiology Annual Report is available at: https://doh.vi.gov/about-us/reports-and-plans/.

United States Virgin Islands

Department of Health

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