Within the last year, Kern County has seen an increase in Valley Fever cases, with 3,990 recorded cases and 49 deaths compared to 2023. The fungal infection is caused by inhaling Coccidioides spores, which primarily target the lungs but can also spread to other parts of the body.
These spores are commonly found in soil and can become airborne through construction, agricultural work, or wind.
When asked if the fungus could ever be eliminated from Central Valley soil, Dr. Carlos D’Assumpcao, MD, an infectious disease physician at the Valley Fever Institute in Kern County, explained that “it may not be possible to remove the fungus from the soil” because research shows that even when spores are identified in one area one year, they may appear in another location the next…