It’s that time of year again, but this time it’s particularly bad. Respiratory illnesses, especially influenza, are tearing through Northern Virginia, accounting for 22% of ER visits in the week ending Jan. 3, according to the Virginia Department of Health. A particularly nasty strand of influenza A, subclade k, is driving this flu season, which peaks from December to February. The mutated strand emerged after the 2025 flu vaccine was developed. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates there have been at least 11 million cases of flu this season nationwide. The CDC also estimates 120,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths. The spread is rated at high or very high in 48 states. Dr. Meredith Porter, medical director for Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care in Northern Virginia, said there are “very high acute respiratory illness levels” across the region. The urgent care system is a joint venture between Inova and GoHealth and operates 23 centers across the region. The urgent care system is increasing support staff and extending virtual visit hours to midnight to meet demand. “We’re trying our best to avoid people going to the emergency room,” Porter told InsideNoVa. There might be a light at the end of the tunnel, Porter said. Statewide, the number of respiratory-related cases at ERs dropped from the week ending Dec. 27 to the week ending Jan. 3. This flu season started picking up after school was out and people started traveling for the holidays, Porter said.  “When you are around a lot of people, you may not yet know that you’re starting to get sick,” she said. Porter said the typical flu symptoms start, and “you almost feel like you’ve been hit by a bus.” That includes body aches, fever, cough and fatigue.  Unless you’re having difficulty breathing, chest pain, dehydration or changes to your lucidity, Porter recommended going to a primary care or urgent care first. Those providers can provide early testing and antiviral treatment. If you’ve got the flu, rest as much as possible and stay hydrated. If you’ve got to go out into the world, Porter recommended wearing a mask and staying as far from others as possible. The first three days after the onset of symptoms are when people are the most contagious, she said. For everyone else, Porter recommended using hand sanitizer, washing your hands frequently, wipe down things like grocery store carts and keep your distance from people who look symptomatic. “If you’re standing in that check out line,” she said, “give yourself a bit of space.”   Your comment has been submitted. Reported There was a problem reporting this. Log In Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated. Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything. Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person. Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below.