A lung infection named after the San Joaquin Valley is surging in the region, and case counts in San Joaquin County have already surpassed last year’s high during the same span, health reports show.
The number of Valley fever cases in California in 2024 was the highest reported in a year. And there has been a significant increase this year in provisional cases, which include suspected, probable and confirmed infections.
The illness, also known by its official name, coccidioidomycosis — or “cocci” — is caused by fungus that grows in the soil in parts of California and the Southwest. Those who work outdoors, especially in rural areas, are most susceptible to the infection…