A sewage spill in the Potomac River northwest of D.C. last week has not affected drinking water in Fairfax County, the local water utility says.
The spill occurred in Montgomery County, Maryland, along Clara Barton Parkway, which hugs the northern edge of the Potomac River near Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park. The spill was caused by a DC Water sewer pipe that collapsed late Monday, Jan. 19, shooting sewage out of the ground and into the river.
A measles case in Northern Virginia has raised concern about more people becoming exposed to the disease, including at the Inova Fairfax Hospital campus in Merrifield.
The Virginia Department of Health reported today (Tuesday) that a preschool-aged child who traveled internationally was confirmed to have measles. This is the third measles case reported in Virginia so far in 2026.
With influenza and other respiratory illnesses still elevated, Reston Hospital Center is tightening its rules around face masks.
Patients with flu-like symptoms, including coughing, sneezing, a fever or a runny nose, are now “strongly encouraged to wear a mask if they are able” and to notify front desk staff when they arrive at a provider office, urgent care center or emergency department, HCA Virginia announced yesterday (Monday).
A preschool-aged child diagnosed with measles recently visited the medical center at Fort Belvoir, among other locations in the D.C. region, the Virginia Department of Health says.
The child, who lives in Northern Virginia, was present at the Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center Emergency Department and Executive Medicine Suite (9300 DeWitt Loop) at Fort Belvoir between 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to midnight last Friday (Jan. 9), potentially exposing other patients, visitors and staff.
Mark Crutchfield said his son Brandon was a typical teenager with a quick wit, a love for sports and acting and a knack for making others laugh — until he lost his life to a fentanyl overdose Nov. 4, 2022 at 20 years old.
Crutchfield, a Fairfax County resident and licensed counselor working in addiction treatment, said his son was raised on a strong anti-drug message, and he believed his son understood the risks of drug use. But, as the grieving father says, drugs do not discriminate.
The Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) is urging community members to reach out if they or a pet came into contact with a rabid cat reported in Belle Haven last month.
The cat was captured after attacking “multiple people and pets” during the evening of Nov. 28 near the 13th Street and H Street intersection. Testing later confirmed that the animal had been infected with rabies, the FCHD announced on Friday (Dec. 5).
Having seen a major drop in opioid overdoses among teens, some Fairfax County supervisors want to focus prevention efforts on young adults.
The 18-to-24 and 25-to-34 age groups appear to be where services need to be intensified, Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay said during a Nov. 25 briefing on the county’s opioid services.
A new massage ordinance adopted by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday (Nov. 18) aims to be a compromise, ensuring the safety of clients and staff while addressing concerns about illicit activity, including human trafficking.
County supervisors voted unanimously in support of the amendment to the Fairfax County Code, replacing an ordinance that had been in effect since 2000.
VHC Health patients will soon no longer have to trek to Arlington to receive mammograms or pregnancy support.
The nonprofit community health system recently expanded its Tysons Pavilion at 1760 Old Meadow Road with an imaging center, and it will launch a center focused on women’s health early next year.
The Fairfax City Council approved a handful of special exceptions for the forthcoming Willard-Sherwood Health and Community Center last week, but not every official was on board.
Three of the councilmembers — Stacy Hall, Rachel McQuillen and Thomas Peterson — symbolically voted against each of the zoning requests at the council meeting last Tuesday (Oct. 14), though all items ultimately passed by a slim majority vote.
