NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Trains Nearly 500 Professionals to Strengthen Special Pathogen Readiness across HHS Region 2
Preparedness for HHS Region 2, spanning NY, NJ, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands, expanded ahead of the influx of visitors for 2026 World Cup events
Jan 27, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue announced today that it has trained close to 500 health care and public health professionals across four jurisdictions in 2025 to respond to high-consequence infectious disease threats. As the federally designated Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center (RESPTC) for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 2, Bellevue Hospital delivered hands-on education in the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), patient isolation, laboratory safety, and emergency transport to health care professionals working in health care facilities across New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI). These trainings support HHS Region 2 preparedness efforts in advance of the more than one million international visitors expected for 2026 World Cup events at MetLife Stadium.
“Preparedness is a core part of Bellevue Hospital’s mission as New York City’s flagship public hospital,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Executive Officer Eric Wei, MD, MBA. “We are proud to support health care and public health teams across New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands with the training and coordination needed to respond quickly and safely to high-consequence infectious disease threats.”
“Special pathogen readiness has to be operational, not theoretical,” said Vikramjit Mukherjee, MD, Chief, Critical Care and Chief, Special Pathogens Program, Bellevue Hospital. “As international travel and major events increase across our region, our trainings strengthen the hands-on skills and coordination needed to protect patients, staff, and communities.”
As the Region 2 RESPTC, Bellevue Hospital is tasked by HHS with leading health care workforce preparedness for special pathogen threats. The facility plays a central role within the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC) consortium, a leader in national special pathogen preparedness and response. Bellevue Hospital supported regional partners through technical assistance and speaking engagements, providing real-time guidance and subject matter expertise to strengthen jurisdiction-specific preparedness needs. Ninety-seven percent of participants rated the training as highly effective.
Bellevue Hospital’s trainings build upon the public health care system’s efforts to strengthen its special pathogens infrastructure, including the recent national recognition of NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi as National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers. In addition, the system recently launched its Special Pathogens Biopreparedness Map, a new interactive, open-source tool that visualizes global outbreak activity to support clinicians, public health officials, and emergency management professionals in identifying and responding to special pathogen threats.
Highlights from Bellevue Hospital’s HHS Region 2 preparedness efforts in 2025 include:
New York City and New York State
In 2025, Bellevue Hospital continued its close collaboration with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, including robust representation on the RESPTC’s steering committee. RESPTC faculty conducted train-the-trainer sessions across multiple health care facilities, including St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, and hosted a laboratory-focused training at Bellevue Hospital for laboratory professionals citywide.
Across New York State, Bellevue Hospital partnered with health care systems, EMS agencies, and public health leaders to expand response capacity beyond urban centers. In collaboration with the New York State Department of Health and NETEC, the RESPTC delivered a two-day special pathogen patient transport course at the Albany Airport Fire Department, strengthening PPE practices, transport readiness, and workforce protection for more than ten EMS agencies across the region.
New Jersey
In New Jersey, the Region 2 RESPTC expanded partnerships in anticipation of the more than one million international visitors expected for the 2026 World Cup matches hosted at MetLife Stadium. Working with the New Jersey Hospital Association, the RESPTC delivered special pathogen skills and PPE training to health care professionals representing hospitals, EMS agencies, and public health departments across the state.
U.S. Virgin Islands
The Region 2 RESPTC deepened engagement with U.S. Virgin Islands public health and hospital leadership through direct coordination with the USVI Department of Health. RESPTC faculty delivered training on portable isolation pod technology and conducted hands-on PPE sessions to strengthen safe isolation readiness and workforce protection across the territory.
“This training underscored the strong partnership between HHS Region 2 RESPTC team and the Virgin Islands Department of Health and Hospitals,” said USVI Commissioner of Health Justa Encarnacion. “The event reinforced our shared commitment to preparedness, infection control, and public health resilience across the territory.”
Puerto Rico
In Puerto Rico, the Region 2 RESPTC advanced discussions with the Puerto Rico Department of Health, including Secretary of Health Dr. Victor Ramos Otero, to further integrate the island into the region’s preparedness framework. The RESPTC is working with partners in Puerto Rico to schedule Spanish-language special pathogen response trainings in 2026 to support accessibility and long-term sustainability.
Looking Ahead
In 2026, Bellevue will focus on leading the expansion of the National Special Pathogen System (NSPS) across HHS Region 2 by training and guiding ten Level 2 Special Pathogen Treatment Centers in the region that received the NSPS Level 2 STAND Award—part of a total of 54 Level 2 facilities selected across the U.S. and territories.
For more information on Region 2 RESPTC and its work, visit www.r2resptc.org.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Bellevue Public Relations
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information on Bellevue, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter). For more information on the Special Pathogens Program, please visit www.R2RESPTC.org.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.