For the second time this month, officials from the Alexandria Health Department (AHD) and the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) are warning about potential measles exposures in northern Virginia.
The warning comes after two Maryland residents who recently traveled internationally tested positive for the disease.
A new community health survey reveals that Alexandria residents consider mental health and substance use the most pressing health issues in the city. The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) conducted the survey in fall 2024, gathering insights from over 2,000 residents about the city’s health challenges, strengths, and areas for improvement.
During a webinar presenting the survey results, AHD officials reported, “Mental health; alcohol, drug, and opiate use; and obesity, physical activity, and nutrition are ranked as Alexandria’s biggest health issues.”
The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) has released its 2023 Communicable Disease Report, providing a comprehensive snapshot of reportable diseases investigated in the calendar year 2023. This marks the first such report since 2019, as the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent mpox outbreak demanded the department's full attention.
The report reveals that AHD investigated 542 cases of communicable disease in 2023, excluding COVID-19, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This represents an 11% increase from 487 cases in 2022.
