October 2, 2024
Virginians Encouraged to Get Annual Flu Shot During Event with State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and Health Care Leaders
RICHMOND, VA – Now is the time for Virginians to get their annual influenza shot to protect against illness as cold, flu, and respiratory virus season approaches. That message was shared by Virginia State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and other health care leaders during an event today at the Bon Secours Sarah Garland Jones Center for Healthy Living. Through words and deeds, leaders participating in the event encouraged Virginians to receive their seasonal flu shots – several rolled up their sleeves and received a flu shot today as an example to the public. A livestream video of the flu shot event can be viewed online here. more>>
September 30, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Advises Virginians to Avoid Natural Water Bodies After Tropical Cyclone Helene
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health advises the public to avoid natural water bodies across the commonwealth after Tropical Cyclone Helene. During heavy rainfall and flooding, pollution and debris from the land washes into rivers, lakes and streams and eventually winds up in our coastal waterways. Pet, livestock and wildlife wastes, and untreated wastewater from sewage treatment plants that are overloaded by an excess of rainwater can all end up in natural waters used for recreation and pose risks to human health. more>>
September 20, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Awards More Than $4.5 Million to Earn to Learn Program Recipients
Funding Will Address Healthcare Needs in the Commonwealth
RICHMOND, Va. — Today, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) announced the first recipients of the Earn to Learn program to address critical workforce shortages for nurses across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Earn to Learn Nursing Education Acceleration Program aims to transform nurse clinical education to accelerate the development of practice-ready nurse graduates. The grant was open to educational institutions or organizations that offer Virginia Board of Nursing-approved nursing education programs for pre-licensure Registered Nurses (RN) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN). more>>
September 18, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Announces Office of Emergency Medical Services Audit Findings
VDH implements critical reforms and strengthens financial oversight to support a more efficient and accountable EMS system
(RICHMOND, Va.) – On Wednesday, September 18, Virginia Department of Health (VDH) Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton and Chief Operating Officer Christopher Lindsay shared the results of a year-long audit they had requested into VDH’s Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). more>>
September 11, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Releases New Respiratory Illness Dashboard
RICHMOND, Va. – 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. more>>
August 12, 2024
Virginia Department of Health and Eliminate Tobacco Use Virginia Release Higher Education Tobacco Policy Dashboard
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Tobacco Control Program partnership with Eliminate Tobacco Use (ETU) Virginia, launched the Virginia Higher Education Tobacco Policy Dashboard to encourage colleges and universities to strengthen campus policies to reduce student and employee tobacco use and increase cessation efforts. The dashboard presents the current landscape of tobacco policies, via tobacco policy report cards, across 49 public and private college and university campuses in Virginia and will be updated on an annual basis. more>>
July 16, 2024
City Councils Proclaim Stroke Smart Waynesboro
and Stroke Smart Staunton
Waynesboro and Staunton join the Stroke Smart Virginia initiative, partnering with public health officials for life-saving stroke education efforts
(Staunton, Va.) – The City of Waynesboro and the City of Staunton in partnership with the Central Shenandoah EMS Council and the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), recently committed to supporting stroke education through the Stroke Smart Virginia initiative. Stroke Smart Virginia is a public health initiative to reduce pre-hospital delays and increase timely stroke treatment through simple education and actions. more>>
July 2, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Closes Investigation of Lake Anna Area Memorial Day Outbreak
Latest Water Testing Did Not Detect Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reports that the most recent testing of water samples collected from Lake Anna did not detect the presence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157. Additional fecal bacteria results for the water samples did not show levels that typically rise to public health concern. VDH would like to remind the public that the upper section of North Anna Branch of Lake Anna in Louisa County remains under a swimming advisory due to harmful algal blooms (HABs) not related to this STEC outbreak. more>>
June 21, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Provides Update about the Lake Anna Area Outbreak Associated with Memorial Day Weekend
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is providing an update on the outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in people who were in the Lake Anna area around Memorial Day weekend. The number of STEC cases (25) has not changed. more>>
June 21, 2024
Swimming Advisory Issued for Upper North Anna Branch of Lake Anna in Louisa County due to Harmful Algae Bloom
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is issuing a swimming advisory for the Upper section of the North Anna Branch of Lake Anna in Louisa County. This section of the lake is experiencing a harmful algae bloom (HAB). The public is advised to avoid contact with this specific area of the lake until algae concentrations return to acceptable levels. more>>
June 17, 2024
Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records Announces Customer Services Benchmark Achievements
RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) Office of Vital Records (OVR) is a one-stop shop for any number of personal records requests, including birth and death certificates, name amendments, and marriage and divorce records. The Office of Vital Records was created by the 1912 Acts of Assembly and on June 14, 2024, celebrated 112 years of serving Virginia. Today, more Virginians can access the Office’s services from the comfort of their own homes seven days a week, 24 hours a day. more>>
June 14, 2024
Virginia Department of Health Provides Update about the Lake Anna Area Outbreak Associated with Memorial Day Weekend
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is providing an update on the outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in people who were in the Lake Anna area on and after the Memorial Day weekend. To date, 25 STEC probable and confirmed cases have been reported to VDH: 21 in Virginia residents from the Central, Northern, and Northwest regions of the state and four in residents of other states. Most cases (76%) have occurred in children younger than 18 years of age. Severe STEC infections can progress to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can be particularly serious. To date, five HUS cases have been reported to VDH, all in children who required hospitalization. more>>
March 25, 2024
Virginia Department of Health is Seeing an Increase in Reported Mpox Cases
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is closely monitoring a recent increase in mpox cases in Virginia. Since January 1, 2024, 12 mpox cases have been reported to VDH from the Central, Eastern, Northern, and Northwest health regions; of these, four patients required hospitalization, six were co-infected with HIV, and none had been previously vaccinated. For comparison, there were 12 reported mpox cases in all of 2023, and all were from the Northern Health Region. more>>
March 22, 2024
2024 County Health Rankings Report Areas of Improvement in Virginia
Report highlights county health factors and measures
RICHMOND, Va. – Earlier this week, the 2024 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps (CHR&R), a program of the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, released data highlighting health factors and measures for counties in Virginia. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) remains dedicated to its vision of Virginia becoming the healthiest state in the nation, as the data points towards areas of development and opportunities for improvement. more>>
February 6, 2024
Virginia Department of Health’s Office of Vital Records Announces Top Baby Names of 2023, Other Interesting Virginia Birth Data
RICHMOND, Va. – What to name the newest member of the family? It can be a nerve-wracking decision for new parents. Something out of scripture? A favorite singer or film star? A sports player or a Disney character? Virginia parents are choosing diverse names for their newborns. Today, the Office of Vital Records in the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) unveils its lists of Top 15 baby names for children born in the Commonwealth in 2023, perhaps providing some inspiration for stressed-out parents-to-be. more>>
January 13, 2024
VIRGINIA HEALTH OFFICIALS INVESTIGATING POTENTIAL MEASLES EXPOSURES IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA
Virginia Department of Health is Working to Identify People Who Are at Risk
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel. Out of an abundance of caution, VDH is informing people who were at various locations, including Dulles International Airport on January 3, 2024, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 4, 2024, that they may have been exposed. Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights. more>>