Report Timeframe: October 14 to October 20, 2025. Current Vermont Department of Health recommendations on preventing COVID-19.
by Timothy McQuiston, Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health reported last week that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations fell again slightly after a recent increase in cases that began in August. Other indicators like wastewater virus and outbreaks also declined. Neither the VDH nor the CDC are any longer reporting COVID fatalities or total cases in Vermont or in the US. WastewaterSCAN testing of treatment plants indicates that in Vermont both COVID-19 and Norovirus levels recently have been higher in Vermont than they are nationally.
The hospitalizations dataset contains day-level data reported from all Vermont hospitals each Tuesday. Reported numbers are subject to correction.
Laboratory-confirmed and diagnosed COVID-19 cases and COVID-19 outbreaks must still be reported to the Vermont Department of Health.
There were 3 outbreaks last week (5 the week before), with 2 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly from mid-summer.
Below is the latest national and Vermont state-wide data from WastewaterSCAN. This reflects information from participating wastewater treatment plants through October 10, 2025. This week marks the official start of flu season, and WastewaterSCAN is watching wastewater data for early signals of respiratory virus activity. In past years, flu levels began to rise in October and reach their peak in mid-winter.
A few updates:
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Nationwide, COVID-19 levels are in the “Medium” category.
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Vermont sites are currently in the “High” category in Essex Junction and Montpelier, and in the “Medium” category in South Burlington.
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Nationwide, Norovirus levels are in the “Low” category.
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Vermont sites are currently in the “High,” “Medium,” and “Low” categories.
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Nationwide, Flu A and Flu B levels are in the “Low” category.
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Vermont sites are currently in the “Low” category.
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WastewaterSCAN now monitors measles, adenovirus group F, parvovirus, and rotavirus in Vermont wastewater.
Respiratory Viruses
Influenza
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Vermont
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Influenza A is in the “Medium” category in Montpelier, and the “Low” category in Essex Junction and South Burlington.
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Influenza B is in the “High” category in Montpelier, and the “Low” category in Essex Junction and South Burlington.
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National
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Influenza A is in the “Low” category nationally and not in seasonal onset.
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Influenza B is in the “Low” category nationwide and not in seasonal onset.
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COVID-19
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Vermont
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COVID-19 is in the “High” category in Essex Junction and Montpelier, and in the “Medium” category in South Burlington. There has been an upward trend in the past 21 days.
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National
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COVID-19 is in the “Medium” category nationally, and there has been a downward trend in the past 21 days.
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Median concentrations are ~33.2k copies per gram (cp/g), down from ~105k in September and ~45k cp/g in August, suggesting a peak occurred in early September.
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~96% of samples were positive in the last 21 days.
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Gastrointestinal Viruses
Norovirus
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Vermont
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Norovirus is in the “High” category in Essex Junction, the “Medium” category in South Burlington, and the “Low” category in Montpelier.
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National
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Norovirus remains in the “Medium” category nationally, with low concentrations and an upward trend over the past 21 days.
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100% of samples were positive for Norovirus in the last 21 days.
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Median concentrations are 2.4M copies per gram (cp/g), similar to levels in September.
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