An official website of the United States government
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
As a result of the consequences of Hurricane Maria on the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Thomas E. Price, M.D., Secretary of Health and Human Services, pursuant to the authority vested in me under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, do hereby determine that a public health emergency exists and has existed since September 16, 2017, in the Territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and since September 17, 2017, in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
September 19, 2017_____________________________Date
/s/_____________________________Thomas E. Price, M.D.
Legal Authorities: Public Health Actions
