Using Real-Time Health Care Provider Feedback to Guide Response Efforts During a Dengue Outbreak, US Virgin Islands, 2024-2025

During 2024, a dengue outbreak occurred in the US Virgin Islands (USVI). To guide response efforts, we assessed health care providers' practices, experiences, and needs related to dengue diagnostics, clinical management, and reporting during the ongoing outbreak. A rapid needs assessment was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 9 clinicians across the USVI. Interview data were coded into predefined topic areas and analyzed to identify key gaps and actionable opportunities for support. Outcomes revealed gaps in clinical training, diagnostic support, and clinician-community engagement. Providers reported limited confidence in recognizing warning signs and expressed a need for additional training and decision-making tools. Findings indicated that clinicians often relied on clinical judgment for diagnosis but faced challenges related to diagnostic testing, including cost, long turnaround times, and uncertainty about test selection. Gaps in community awareness and misconceptions about dengue transmission were also identified. The rapid needs assessment was led by the Virgin Islands Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and results informed rapid implementation of targeted interventions, including clinician training resources, expanded diagnostic testing pathways, and enhanced community outreach efforts, such as streamlined diagnostic testing processes and community outreach. This case study highlights the value of rapid assessments in guiding timely public health responses during outbreaks through provider-centered feedback.