Californians this summer and fall may face an increased risk of Valley fever, a fungal infection that can cause respiratory symptoms like coughing and fatigue, according to the California Department of Public Health.
The CDPH points to dry conditions and heavy winter rains as factors for the risk increase. A recent study from University of California, Berkeley and the CDPH found that the fungus that causes Valley fever can become less active during drought, and more active when rain returns.
Valley fever is caused by breathing in the fungus Coccidioides from dust in outdoor air. It usually affects the lungs and can cause prolonged respiratory symptoms including cough, fever, chest pain and fatigue.
Most people who breathe in the spores don’t get sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If infected, people will usually heal on their own within weeks or months. However, some people can develop severe infections and experience serious or long-term problems with their lungs.
Rates of Valley fever are highest in the Central Valley and Central Coast regions, including Monterey County. Climate change has caused an increase of reported cases in other areas of the state, including northern areas of the San Joaquin Valley, according to the CDPH.
The CDPH encourages people living in higher risk areas to follow tips to help prevent infection:
-Learn about signs, symptoms and ways to reduce risk of infection of Valley fever.
-Stay indoors and keep windows and doors locked when windy outside.
-Wet down soil and dirt before digging to prevent stirring up dust into the air.
-Wear a properly fitted N95 mask if you must be in dusty air outdoors.
12 comments
Darn, I thought we were done with N95 masks.
It’s always something…
It would also be helpful if masks were mandated everywhere people were separated by 6 feet circles and sheets of plastic, and one way lanes were created in supermarkets. An experimental vaccine should also be “recommended”. How can anyone doubt government experts
I think the experimental vaccine should be required or else you lose your job and are shunned by society.
Hmm? “Valley Fever” which is supposedly due to excessive rain this winter? Like we have never had any extremely wet winters prior to 2022-2023. Sounds like a new and convenient term to cover UP what is actually extreme damage caused by the shots.
Remember another new term: Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, not to mention all the other new terms for medical issues never uttered prior to 2020. Again….hmmmm?
Baa! Baa!
I’ve never heard of it before nor have experienced it. Most that have experienced probably chocked it up to allergies which would go away with time.
Not buying anything the gov is selling. This is not the first excessively wet winter, spring or summer. They can go kick rocks. Masks don’t work refuse to put one back on.
Fresh serving of more #fearporn … no thanks!
Valley fever is real- its been affecting migrant workers in central valley for nearly 20 yrs. Its just worse right now. My family in Exeter had their workers get it. Gross.
” Climate change has caused an increase of reported cases in other areas of the state, including northern areas of the San Joaquin Valley, according to the CDPH”
Man Made Climate Change to blame…. right…. and I got a flat tire yesterday, you guessed it…. Climate Change! Moldy Bread, tripped on my shoelace, dog barfed on the rug…. Climate Change!
Almost sounds real….
Comments are closed.