Tuesday, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) launched a new Respiratory Illness Dashboard, which replaces several older dashboards. This dashboard provides key insights into respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19, influenza (flu), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). By integrating data from multiple sources, the dashboard offers a comprehensive and streamlined view of respiratory disease trends across Virginia.
The new Respiratory Illness Dashboard can be found at www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/respiratory-diseases-in-virginia/data/.
“We believe this new resource will empower Virginians with the information they need to make informed decisions to protect themselves and their loved ones during respiratory illness season,” said State Health Commissioner Karen Shelton, MD. “By staying informed and taking preventive measures — such as keeping up with vaccines, improving air quality, covering coughs and sneezes, washing hands frequently, and staying home when sick — everyone can contribute to reducing the spread of illness.”
The dashboard consolidates data from previous influenza and COVID-19 dashboards, which were crucial tools during the height of the pandemic. The dashboard tracks emergency department (ED) visit data for COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Trends are highlighted by age group to show which populations are most affected. ED visit data can be one of the fastest ways to spot changing trends in respiratory illness activity. To view local data for your community, visit the updated Emergency Visits for Respiratory Illnesses dashboard.
In addition to tracking ED visits, the dashboard shows the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19, flu, or RSV, offering insights into the severity of these illnesses. It also identifies which viruses are circulating, including seasonal flu subtypes, and tracks outbreak trends by setting, such as, in schools, daycares, and nursing homes. Vaccination coverage rates for respiratory viruses are also displayed, offering a glimpse of community protection levels across the Commonwealth.
With the launch of the new respiratory illness dashboard, VDH will retire the Influenza surveillance, COVID-19 summary, COVID-19 cases, and COVID-19 case demographics dashboards. The number of COVID-19 cases is no longer a reliable measure for tracking trends due to the widespread use of at-home tests, which are not reported to VDH.