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Aedes aegypti — the mosquito carrying dengue, chikungunya and Zika — is
present throughout the US Virgin Islands. Between January 2016 and January
2018 the territory had its first Zika outbreak and then **two Category 5
hurricanes**: Irma on St Thomas and St John on 6 September 2017, and
Maria on St Croix on 19 September.
The hurricanes did something specific to mosquito risk. They **severely
damaged the structures that keep mosquitoes out** — screens, roofs — and the
infrastructure that makes indoors bearable without opening them —
electricity, air conditioning — while **creating an environment more conducive
to breeding.**
Three surveys, one question each time
The health department ran three **Community Assessments for Public Health
Emergency Response (CASPERs)**, at household level: during the **Zika outbreak
response**, the hurricane response, and the hurricane recovery.
| Very concerned about contracting Zika (outbreak and hurricane response) | ~40% of households |
| Support for mosquito spraying (all three assessments) | 75–80% |
| Environmental conditions favourable to breeding | worse between the outbreak and the hurricane response |
The three findings, and what each is for
Concern about Zika decreased over time — while the physical conditions for
mosquito-borne disease got worse. Perceived risk followed the news cycle rather
than the mosquitoes, which is exactly the situation that makes
risk-communication necessary rather than optional.
Support for spraying stayed at three-quarters to four-fifths throughout,
through an outbreak, a disaster and a recovery. But **support for specific
spray methods varied** — so the useful question is not whether to spray, which
is settled, but which method to use where, which the assessment can answer.
Conditions got worse, measurably, at household level: the broken screens
and standing water that a hurricane leaves, counted rather than assumed.
Why the method matters
Community assessments are **rarely used to inform mosquito management or to
understand community perceptions.** These provided **rapid, actionable
information** that the department used for **real-time outbreak and hurricane
response planning** — not a report published after the season.
And the conclusion aimed at every vector control programme, not only this one:
the CASPER design can be used to enhance routine operations, not just
emergencies. The households are there to be asked all year.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR.
Licens: CC0 1.0 (offentligt eje) · Bearbejdet efter www.cdc.gov
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