Virginia Department of Health

JUST IN: Full Potomac River advisory lifted by state health department

Published March 17, 2026 at 5:00PM

Views by the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Virginia’s recreational water advisory has been lifted for the remaining part of the Potomac River affected by the Jan. 19 sewage spill, the state’s health department announced today (Tuesday).

The Virginia Department of Health’s advisory is no longer in effect in the Potomac River between the Capital Beltway/American Legion Bridge and Route 120/ Chain Bridge. The advisory, first issued Feb. 13, had been partially lifted on March 5 between Route 120 Chain Bridge to Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge in King George County. The change is effective immediately.

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JUST IN: Va. health officials partially lift Potomac River recreational advisory

By Katie Taranto

Published March 5, 2026 at 4:10PM

A sailboat on the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Virginia Department of Health has partially lifted its recreational water advisory for a portion of the Potomac River as repairs continue from January’s massive sewage spill.

The advisory, first issued Feb. 13, has now been lifted for a stretch of the river including Alexandria’s waterfront. The cleared area starts south at the Route 120 Chain Bridge and ends at the Governor Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge in King George County, according to a VDH announcement this afternoon (Thursday).

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Regional officials briefed about ongoing response to Potomac River sewage spill

By Emily Leayman and Katie Taranto

Published February 24, 2026 at 3:45PM

A sailboat on the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Regional officials were briefed yesterday (Monday) on continued repairs and efforts to mitigate health risks five weeks after a sewage pipe collapsed, releasing an estimated 243 million gallons of sewage into the Potomac River.

DC Water officials outlined steps it has taken since the Jan. 19 sewer pipe collapse, just east of the American Legion Bridge, during a virtual meeting with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments that included Vice Chair, Mayor Alyia Gaskins. The collapse happened in a section of the Potomac Interceptor, which carries about 60 million gallons of sewage daily from Fairfax and Loudoun counties, the towns of Vienna and Herndon, Dulles Airport and Montgomery County, Md.

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VDH: Measles outbreak not likely in N. Va. despite uptick in cases

By Katie Taranto

Published February 23, 2026 at 3:30PM | Updated February 24, 2026 at 9:41AM

The entrance of the Alexandria Health Department (courtesy of the Alexandria Health Department)

Maintaining high childhood vaccination rates is key to preventing measles outbreaks, state health experts say, as cases have seen an uptick in Northern Virginia and across the country this year.

In the first two months of 2026, Virginia has confirmed 10 cases of measles — double the total cases recorded last year — and nine of them have been in the northern region, with exposures reported in Alexandria, Fairfax County and surrounding areas.

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Measles case may have led to exposures at Alexandria office building

By Katie Taranto

Published February 20, 2026 at 9:15AM | Updated February 20, 2026 at 5:32PM

2800 Eisenhower Avenue (via Google Maps)

An Alexandria office building is one of several potential measles exposure sites in Northern Virginia confirmed by state health officials last night (Thursday).

People in the office building, located at 2800 Eisenhower Avenue, could have been exposed to measles between 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, according to the Virginia Department of Health. The office was reported as an exposure site in connection with two new measles cases in the region.

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Alexandria Health Department advises of measles case at more N. Va. locations

By Emily Leayman

Published February 17, 2026 at 9:30AM

Alexandria Health Department (staff photo by Vernon Miles)

The Alexandria Health Department is advising residents of another measles case, the seventh in the Northern Virginia region.

An adult who recently traveled abroad was diagnosed with measles after visiting a local grocery store and two Inova facilities, according to the Virginia Department of Health.

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Avoid contact with Potomac River, Va. health officials say in new advisory

By Katie Taranto

Published February 14, 2026 at 9:30AM

A sailboat on the Potomac River (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The Virginia Department of Health is advising people to avoid contact with the Potomac River following a massive sewage pipe rupture last month.

Recreational activities like swimming and kayaking should be avoided out of caution to prevent illness, VDH said in a release yesterday.

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Measles case reported at Dulles last weekend led to potential N. Va. exposures

By Katie Taranto

Published January 31, 2026 at 2:45PM

The entrance of the Alexandria Health Department (courtesy of the Alexandria Health Department)

Health officials are advising of potential measles exposures after confirming a case that traveled through Washington Dulles International Airport last Saturday.

A person with measles traveled through the Dulles airport and took a shuttle bus to its rental car facilities on Saturday, Jan. 24. Health officials “are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights,” the Virginia Department of Health said in a release today (Saturday).

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Virginia’s first flu-related child death of season confirmed by state health officials

By Emily Leayman

Published January 16, 2026 at 1:45PM

Medical office equipment (via fr0ggy5/Unsplash)

The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first flu-related pediatric death this season, as public health officials across Virginia continue to monitor increased flu activity.

Health officials yesterday (Thursday) said a preschool-aged child — between newborn age and 4 years old — died from flu-related complications. The child was from Virginia’s Eastern Region, which largely covers the Tidewater and Eastern Shore areas. The health department is not releasing additional information about the child to protect the family’s privacy.

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Virginia health officials clear path for updated COVID vaccines

By Ryan Belmore

Published September 11, 2025 at 6:28PM

A man gets a vaccine. (Photo via CDC on Upsplash)

Virginia is moving to ensure residents have quick access to the latest COVID-19 vaccines ahead of the fall respiratory illness season, with State Health Commissioner Dr. Karen Shelton signing a statewide standing order this week that expands pharmacy vaccination authority.

The order, signed Tuesday and announced Thursday, allows pharmacists across Virginia to administer the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine formulation to residents 65 and older, as well as adults aged 18-64 with underlying medical conditions, without requiring individual prescriptions.

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Alexandria Health Department warns of another potential measles exposure in Northern Virginia

By James Cullum

Published June 26, 2025 at 2:00PM

Skin of a patient after three days with measles rash (via CDC)

The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is sharing details on a June 19 potential measles exposure in Northern Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Health was notified that on June 19, a child with a confirmed case of measles traveled from another country to Washington Dulles International Airport en route to North Carolina. VDH announced the potential exposure on June 25 (Wednesday).