Virginia

Flu cases climb across Virginia, state reaches highest totals in years

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4 months ago

on

January 9, 2026

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Press Room

Flu cases climb across Virginia, state reaches highest totals in years

HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) – Flu cases are climbing across Virginia, reaching some of the highest levels the commonwealth has seen in years.

According to the Virginia Department of Health, over 21% of all emergency department visits in the northwest region this flu season were for respiratory illnesses. Rachel Dumene, spokesperson for the Central Shenandoah Health District, said while viruses can mutate and cause symptoms that are more severe, she said the challenge this year is how fast the flu is spreading.

“Sometimes they can mutate to create new symptoms or become more severe. However, that’s not what we’re seeing this year,” Dumene said. “This is a pretty average flu. However, the thing that’s different about it is that it’s spreading at a more rapid pace.“

That faster spread is leading to more infections overall, and more people experiencing serious symptoms. Children make up the largest share of flu-related emergency room visits in the region, which is why Dumene said vaccination remains one of the best tools to keep people out of the hospital.

“Even though this flu virus seems to be spreading at a higher rate than previous years, the flu vaccine still helps prevent against severe illness,” she said. “It is possible that people who get vaccinated can still get the flu. However, this can keep them from experiencing very negative consequences or having to go to the emergency room.”

It’s still not too late to get vaccinated, Dumene said. Protection develops about two weeks after the shot, and peak flu season often doesn’t arrive until February. She also recommended washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes and staying home when sick to slow the spread.

What hospitals are seeing

Augusta Health Public Relations Manager Kristen Printy said regional hospitals and emergency medical services are working together to manage a seasonal increase in patients to make sure people across the region receive the care they need.

Flu problems(WHSV)

“This season has brought an increase in patients, and it’s important that hospitals and EMS agencies continue to work closely together,” said Crystal Farmer, MBA, MSN, RN, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Augusta Health. “By coordinating our efforts, we can help ensure patients get the right care, in the right place, at the right time, even when demand is higher.”

Robert Garwood, VP, Chief Medical Officer Sentara RMH Medical Center said increased ER volume secondary of the flu has translated into increased hospital admissions of these patients.

“The current flu vaccine does not cover the strain that’s circulating throughout our area really well, which has resulted in patients with some significant illness. This is again translated to increase hospital patient censuses and less bed availability, which also impacts our ED,” Garwood said.

Augusta Health added that people should always seek emergency care for serious or life-threatening conditions. For less urgent needs, people are encouraged to consider primary care, urgent care, or telehealth options when appropriate.

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Virginia

Virginia Supreme Court voids voter-approved redistricting referendum

Published

4 hours ago

on

May 11, 2026

By

Press Room

Virginia Supreme Court voids voter-approved redistricting referendum

On May 8, the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the General Assembly violated the state constitution when it tried to redraw congressional districts, nullifying the results of the April election in which Virginians narrowly approved redistricting.

Electoral maps are usually redrawn once every 10 years, but multiple states began redrawing them early after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to redraw district lines to ensure more favorable results for the party in the November 2026 elections.

This started a nationwide political battle for control of the U.S. House of Representatives. Texas was the first of several states to redraw districts favoring Republicans, and Virginia Democrats had proposed a constitutional amendment to allow redistricting in order to favor Democrats.

As of May 8, Republicans had initiated redistricting efforts in eight states; Democrats had led redistricting efforts in three states, including Virginia, the Washington Post reported.

In April, Virginia voters supported the redistricting amendment with 51.7% voting for it out of more than 3 million ballots cast. It could have given Democrats up to four extra seats in the U.S. House, according to the Washington Post (subscription required).

But the Virginia Supreme Court, in a 4-3 ruling, found that there were procedural errors in how the Democratic legislature handled the process, nullifying the election results.

The Virginia Constitution says that proposed constitutional amendments must pass in the General Assembly twice before the public can vote on them: once before an election of the House of Delegates, and again after an election. According to the Virginia Supreme Court majority opinion written by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, early voting for the general election had already been open for six weeks when the General Assembly cast its first vote on the amendment in October 2025, with more than 1.3 million voters having already cast their ballots.

“This violation irreparably undermines the integrity of the resulting referendum vote and renders it null and void,” the court majority opinion stated.

The court’s ruling means the state reverts to the old district maps adopted in 2021. Based on those maps, Virginia voters elected six Democrats and five Republicans to the U.S. House.

Following the court’s ruling, some Virginia Democrats who planned to run for the U.S. House told the New York Times that they have to abandon their campaigns, while others, such as Tom Perriello who is running for the 5th District, face much more difficult campaigns.

Virginia Democrats on Friday asked the court to pause the nullification of the referendum results while they prepare their appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to VPM.

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