(Richmond)-The Virginia Health Department says cases of COVID-19 in the Commonwealth have surged in recent weeks, with 3.43% of emergency room patients being diagnosed with COVID-19 during the week before Christmas, compared to 1.67% in the last week of October. As of Thursday, Dec. 28, the COVID-19 variant JN. 1 accounted for more than 44% of COVID-19 cases across the United States. Health officials say the variant is present in Virginia and is highly transmissible.
