Virginia officials urge people with mild COVID to avoid ER | AP News RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State health officials and hospital leaders in Virginia are urging people who have mild coronavirus symptoms to avoid unnecessary trips to emergency rooms. Thursday's request by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is being made at a time when the state is entering its fifth coronavirus surge since the pandemic began. AP NEWS

Thursday’s request by the Virginia Department of Health and the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association is being made at a time when the state is entering its fifth coronavirus surge since the pandemic began. ...

Illinois COVID cases top 30,000 in new state daily record | AP News CHICAGO (AP) — Illinois has 30,386 new COVID-19 cases diagnosed statewide, public health officials announced Thursday, smashing by more than 9,000 the previous state record for new cases in a day and nearly doubling the high from last fall’s surge. AP NEWS

Live updates: Louisiana setting records for COVID-19 cases | AP News NEW ORLEANS -- Louisiana is setting records for new COVID-19 diagnoses, and the state’s omicron variant surge is just beginning, Gov. John Bel Edwards said Thursday. Thursday’s 24-hour total of 12,467 new cases was more than a third above Wednesday’s 9,378, Edwards said during a news conference livestreamed on Zoom. AP NEWS