Alexandria is well-represented in the record-breaking 2026 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.
A total of 1,356 residents ages 50-plus from across the local area are participating in 96 events across 34 locations during the 22 days of competition.
health
Alexandria resident George Vercessi was an adult when his late mother unexpectedly had a stroke. His tight-knit family was suddenly dealing with unfamiliar territory as every day brought new challenges for his mother’s recovery.
Until it happened to his mother, Vercessi didn’t know the impacts of a stroke on the body or what the recovery period looked like. He thought it might be even more difficult for younger family members to understand.
The Alexandria Health Department is informing residents of a measles exposure reported in the Northern Virginia region.
The Virginia Department of Health was notified about a confirmed measles case involving an out-of-state resident who traveled through Northern Virginia. The visit happened Sunday, Aug. 16 when the person was infectious. Health officials are working to identify people who might have been exposed.
Nearly a year after rebranding as the Breast Cancer Collective, the Alexandria-based organization is preparing for major fundraisers in the fall to continue its work to make breast cancer screenings and treatments accessible.
The collective officially announced its rebranding as the Breast Cancer Collective last October. The name change from the National Breast Center Foundation sought to clear up confusion with other national breast cancer entities.
After President Donald Trump issued an order seeking more spaced out childhood vaccinations, the Virginia Department of Health joined other medical experts in backing the existing childhood vaccination schedule.
President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order calling for revamped childhood vaccine recommendations that promote his long-held but discredited theory that childhood shots should be spaced out into separate medical visits.
A new wellness studio featuring saunas, cold plunges and fitness classes is opening Saturday, Aug. 15 in Alexandria’s Braddock neighborhood.
Kalm Studio is currently taking reservations at 800 N. Henry Street. The building has undergone significant renovations over the last several months, and features three private saunas and a communal sauna. For a $300 monthly fee, members can get contrast and movement therapies, like cold plunges and saunas, as well as Pilates and yoga classes.
After a raccoon that later tested positive for rabies came into contact with a dog and its owner in Potomac Yard, the Alexandria Health Department is urging caution around wildlife.
The health department said the raccoon was aggressive when it had contact with the dog around E. Glebe Road in Potomac Yard on May 23. The dog’s owner was also potentially exposed while relocating the dog to a safe area. Officials say the dog and owner are safe, and the dog is being monitored for symptoms.
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Alexandria City Public Schools staff are decrying the short notice given over an increase to their health insurance premiums, just a day before the month-long open enrollment period.
In an April 30 email, thousands of ACPS staff and retirees were told that health insurance premium rates will increase by 16% for UnitedHealthcare customers and by 8.9% for Kaiser Permanente customers, and that the changes will result in higher employee contributions. Employees who don’t go through the open enrollment process by 11:59 p.m. May 31 will lose their healthcare coverage.
Inova Alexandria Hospital at Landmark’s sprawling new complex reached a milestone on Monday, as the final structural beam was put into place.
Current and former city leaders joined Inova’s top executives for the topping-out ceremony, which was an hour after the topping out of the Inova Franconia-Springfield Healthplex (6361 Walker Lane) in the Franconia area of Fairfax County.
The Alexandria Health Department is raising concerns about the rise of tickborne illnesses as spring progresses.
The health department and Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities are partnering for a tick bite prevention campaign this spring, when tick activity increases as temperatures warm. The city is placing 30 educational signs across parks and trails encouraging residents to do tick checks. There will also be educational sessions about tick prevention and giveaways of tick removal tools at the events and the Alexandria Health Department headquarters (4850 Mark Center Drive).
Alexandria continues to outpace the state average for sexually transmitted infections, according to a new report.
The Alexandria Health Department’s 2024 Disease Investigation Report recorded 1,900 separate disease investigations in 2024, a 5% decrease from 2023. The department found that vaccine-preventable diseases increased fivefold with 41 cases in 2024, compared to eight reported cases in 2023; and that sexually transmitted infections decreased 2%, although gonorrhea and HIV cases have increased by 9% and 24%, respectively.