Yesterday, the Kern County Department of Public Health announced April as Valley Fever Month as part of their Disease Fighters initiative, a year-long health education and awareness campaign to combat infectious diseases.
Valley Fever is contracted by inhaling the spores of a fungus that grows in the soil or dirt and can cause symptoms such as: cough, fatigue, fever, chest pain, night sweats, muscle or joint pain, unexplained weight loss, difficulty breathing, headaches, and/or rash.
“The majority of people infected by Valley Fever will never even know they are sick. About 60% of those infected will develop no symptoms,” stated Paul Rzucidlo, the Assistant Division Director of Health Services at Public Health…