Cases of Valley fever, a disease caused by a fungus common in some regions of California, are on the rise, state health officials announced this month. Over 5,500 provisional cases were reported in the first six months of the year.
In 2000, the state reported fewer than 1,000 cases; by 2019, the number had increased to over 9,000. The latest increase in cases comes after the Golden State reported 12,500 cases last year, the highest ever recorded in the state.
Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis or “cocci,” is caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California. Most common in the Central Valley and Central Coast, symptoms of the disease are similar to those of COVID-19 or the flu…