These figures are anticipated to increase even more once the figures made available are for the month of December.

More about the news

For the year up to the end of November 2024, 11,076 cases of Valley fever were reported based on data from the California Department of Public Health.

This is nearly an increase of 20 percent as compared to the previous year, which was 7396. Meanwhile, in 2022, 6,742 cases were reported.

Rising cases across the US

Kern County has incidence rates higher than any other county, and this current year, the incidence has reached 3,768, or a third of the total incidence.

A few of the regions that have slightly increased their cases through November compared to the same period last year include Los Angeles and Riverside counties, while a few like Fresno, Kings, Merced, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Stanislaus have increased its cases by 100-200 percent.

Surge in Valley Fever Cases in California: What You Need to Know
Learn Moer: https://t.co/hSAYPHpEOp#HealthandMedicalNews #LifestyleNews #California #Valley

— Jhon (@Jhonjournalist) December 30, 2024

For Monterey County, the number of cases has tripled from what it was in 2022, which was 100, to 299 this year.

Valley Fever cases

The fungus is found in the Pacific Northwest and southwestern United States, as well as some parts of Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Valley fever is contracted by inhaling spores of this fungus. More peculiarly, not everyone who inhales the spores falls ill.

Lung infection is the chief symptom of valley fever, the specific manifestations of which include cough and fever.

Monterey County Valley fever cases up by 65% in 2024 in population with damaged immune systems from SARS https://t.co/pzieAOVKFC

— The fed up Chef (@TheChefsGardens) December 30, 2024

This implies that some persons are more vulnerable than others to falling prey to serious diseases.

Although it can hardly happen, the infection may affect some other organs of the human body.

As with any other fungal disease, deaths can be prevented when treated in early stages with antifungal drugs.

Additionally, the symptoms of Valley fever are the same as those of pneumonia caused by other bacteria or viruses; the infection goes undiagnosed.

Symptoms

1. Cough |
2. Fever and headache
3. Shortness of breath
4. Fatigue
5. Night sweats
6. Muscle aches or joint pain
7. Rash on upper body or legs

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At least nineteen cases of Valley fever were confirmed in individuals who either participated or worked for the “Lightning in a Bottle” festival which took place in Kern country in late May, data released by the California Department of Public Health show.

Not less than eight persons have been also admitted to different hospitals.

More about the disease – Experts

A recent study has established that the cases of Valley fever have risen across the California state over two decades and drought is a possible reason for seasonal peaks.

Valley fever is a lung disease that results from inhaling the spores of fungi referred to as Coccidioides as stated by the CDC.

According to Dr. Daniel Pastula, chief of neuro-infectious diseases and global neurology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Colorado School of Public Health, “It’s a fungus that lives in soil in certain areas around the world,” ABC reported.

“So, classically, the southwestern United States, so California and Arizona are kind of prime states where this occurs,” Pastula added.

He also pointed out that the fungus could also be present in various parts of Washington state, Mexico, and in Southern and Central America, during “hot, arid summers and mild winters.”

Since the disease was first recognized in the San Joaquin Valley south of California’s Central Valley, the disease has since then being referred to as Valley fever.

However, to this date, the possibility of the spread of the disease from one person to another hasn’t been confirmed. As reported by the CDC, creatures and animals are also vulnerable to Valley fever although it is impossible to transmit it from animals to a human being and the reverse is also true.

The CDC captures those groups of people who are most vulnerable to contracting severe symptoms of the disease and they include persons with a compromised immune system, persons with diabetes, the elderly, pregnant women, and many others.

This is especially dangerous for individuals with lowered immune response, diabetes, elderly people, and women who are pregnant, the CDC noted, as per the information, ABC News provided.

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