ROANOKE, Va. – 10 News’ “What’s Going Around” looks at local respiratory virus trends in the Roanoke region and across Virginia. Thanks to a partnership with Johns Hopkins University and the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation, the station can show localized disease data for the community.
In Roanoke and surrounding counties, emergency department visits for COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), have all decreased since last week. COVID-19 and influenza are at low levels, while RSV remains moderate.
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RSV arrived later than usual this season, which is why activity may continue into April in some regions.
Respiratory illness activity across Virginia is minimal and continues to decrease as of April 4.
Virginia reported 10.1 percent of emergency department visits were for respiratory illness, a 1.3 percent decrease compared with last week.
As of April 11, 31.2 percent of Virginians have received the 2025-26 influenza vaccine, with adults 65 and older reporting the highest coverage of any age group.
Pulaski County, Giles County, Montgomery County, the city of Radford, Bland County and Wythe County report high levels of RSV-related emergency department visits, while COVID-19 and influenza remain low in those areas.
The city of Lexington and Highland County, which reported very high RSV levels last week, have since dropped to low levels.
How Virginia compares nationally
Nationally, the amount of acute respiratory illness prompting people to seek medical care is low as of April 10.
RSV activity is elevated but has peaked in many regions. Even though RSV started later than expected this season, illness is not more severe compared with previous seasons.
Emergency department visits and hospitalizations for RSV are highest among infants and children younger than 4 years old. Seasonal influenza activity continues to decrease in most areas of the country, and COVID-19 activity remains low nationally.
People can reduce the risk of illness by improving indoor air quality, bringing in fresh air, using air filters or spending time outdoors.