VDH: COVID-19 declines after holiday spike

Report Timeframe: January 15, 2026, to January 21, 2026. 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 have declined below 10 cases statewide as the winter flu season continues. Other indicators through wastewater analysis show an increase in COVID-19, Norovirus and especially RSV in Vermont and nationally. There are no recently reported measles cases in Vermont and the rate nationally is low.

Neither the VDH nor the CDC are any longer reporting COVID fatalities or total cases in Vermont or in the US. 

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 2 outbreaks last week (2 the week before), with 2 in Long-Term Care Facilities and 0 in schools. Like hospitalizations, outbreaks increased slightly from mid-summer and have stabilized at a relatively low level.

WasterwaterSCAN DATA

Below is the latest national and Vermont state-wide data from WastewaterSCAN. Our most recent data show that we have officially moved into the “high” category for COVID-19, Influenza A, RSV, and Norovirus, with all four pathogens in an upward trend. Since December, COVID concentrations are up 25%, flu A concentrations are up 86%, and RSV is up 134% nationally

A few updates:

• Nationwide, COVID-19 is in the “High” category with an upward trend, a 25% increase since December.

  • All Vermont sites are in the “High” category.

• Nationwide, Norovirus is in the “High” category with an upward trend, a 22% increase since December.

  • All Vermont sites are in the “High” category.

• Nationwide, Influenza A is in the “High” category with an upward trend, an 86% increase since December.

  • All Vermont sites are in the “High” category.

• Nationwide, RSV is in the “High” category with an upward trend, a 134% increase since December.

  • All Vermont sites are in the “High” category.

Respiratory Viruses

COVID-19

• Vermont

  • COVID-19 is in the “High” category in South Burlington, Essex Junction, and Montpelier. 

• National

  • COVID-19 is in the “High” category with an upward trend and high concentrations.

    • Concentrations are up 25% since December, with median concentrations at 30.9k copies/gram (cp/g) over the past 21 days.

    • ~95% positive detections in January.

Influenza A

• Vermont

  • Influenza A is in the “High” category in South Burlington, Essex Junction, and Montpelier.

• National 

  • Influenza A is in the “High” category nationally, with a significant upward trend and high concentrations.

    • 86% increase in concentrations since December, with median concentrations at 50.4k cp/g over the past 21 days.

    • ~99% positive detections for flu A in January.

RSV

• Vermont

  • RSV is now in the “High” category in South Burlington, Essex Junction, and Montpelier.

• National

  • RSV has moved into the “High” category nationally, with high concentrations and an upward trend.

    • Concentrations in January are up 134% compared to December. Over the past 21 days, the median concentration was 12.7k copies/gram (cp/g).

    • RSV was detected in ~90% of samples in the last 21 days.

Avian Flu

• Vermont

  • H5 has not been detected in Vermont in the last three weeks.

• National

  • H5 (the flu A subtype associated with H5N1 or avian influenza) has been detected at 80 WastewaterSCAN sites across 27 states since monitoring began.

    • In January, there were 2 positive H5 detections in Minnesota and New Jersey.

    • A heat map of H5 detections is linked here.

Gastrointestinal Viruses

Norovirus

• Vermont

  • Norovirus is now in the “High” category in South Burlington, Essex Junction, and Montpelier.

• National

  • Norovirus is in the “High” category nationally with an upward trend and medium concentrations.

    • Norovirus median concentrations in January are up 22% compared to December.

Other Pathogens

Measles

• Vermont

  • There have been zero measles detections in Vermont wastewater. 

• National

  • Measles is in the “Low” category nationally.

    • Since we began testing in May 2025, we have detected measles at 28 sites across 17 states.

    • In January, there have been 5 positive measles detections in California and Utah

Last Updated:January 23, 2026

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