CA: Valley fever cases identified among attendees of Kern County music festival

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.vvdailypress.com/story/n...l/74603935007/




Valley fever cases identified among attendees of Kern County music festival
Ema Sasic Visalia Times-Delta
2 hours ago

The California Department of Public Health is investigating Valley fever cases among people who traveled through Kern County in May to attend the outdoor music festival Lightning in a Bottle.

Valley fever, also called coccidioidomycosis or "cocci," is an infectious disease caused by the Coccidioides fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California.

Lightning in a Bottle was held May 22-27 at Buena Vista Lake, near the city of Bakersfield. More than 20,000 people from throughout California and possibly other states and countries attended the music festival.

How many cases have there been?

The California Department of Public Health has identified five patients with Valley fever who attended the festival. Three people were hospitalized.

The department said additional cases linked to attendance at the outdoor festival are possible...

[Pathfinder]

During Valley Fever Awareness Month, CDPH Warns of Increased Risk through Fall

August 29, 2024
NR24-022
Contact: media@cdph.ca.gov

Investigation Continues into Reports of Valley Fever Among Music Festival Attendees

What You Need To Know: People who live in or travel to the Central Valley or Central Coast regions of California may be at increased risk of Valley fever through the fall. Valley fever symptoms can look like other common respiratory infections, so it’s important to get checked by a doctor if you’ve experienced prolonged cough, fever, chest pain, and fatigue or tiredness.

Sacramento – Californians and travelers to the Central Valley and Central Coast regions of California may be at increased risk of Valley fever through the fall. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is reminding Californians and travelers that more people are infected with Valley fever in late summer and fall than at other times of the year, which is why August has been designated as Valley Fever Awareness Month. Valley fever can infect the lungs and cause respiratory symptoms, and in rare cases, be fatal.

“We're preparing for another possible increase in Valley fever cases in the coming months, and we want Californians to know the signs and symptoms to detect it early," said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “If you have a lingering cough and fatigue, please talk to a doctor about Valley fever, especially if you've been outdoors in dusty air in the Central Valley or Central Coast regions."

Increasing Cases: Valley fever is on the rise in California, with over 9,000 cases reported statewide in 2023 and over 5,000 preliminary cases reported this year, as of July 1. Possible causes of this recent increase include winter rains after several years of drought, an increase in soil disturbance activities (including construction) in high-risk areas, and increased disease recognition, testing and reporting. In addition, while most cases of Valley fever in California are reported from the Central Valley and Central Coast regions, cases have been increasing outside of these regions, including in the northern Central Valley and in southern California.

Given this increase, healthcare providers caring for patients with prolonged respiratory symptoms should ask about outdoor dust exposure or recent travel to areas where Valley fever is more common and consider Valley fever as a potential diagnosis.

Risk Factors & Prevention Tips: People can get Valley fever by breathing in dust from outdoor air that contains the Valley fever fungus.Anyone who lives, works, or travels in an area where Valley fever has been reported can become infected, including pets.Valley fever is not contagious and cannot spread from one person or animal to another.

Those who spend more time outdoors and are exposed to dirt and dust in areas where Valley fever is common are more likely to get Valley fever. Factors that can increase a person's risk of getting severe Valley fever include being an older adult (60+ years old), having diabetes or a condition that weakens the immune system, or being pregnant. People who are Black or Filipino also have been noted to have a higher risk of severe disease from Valley fever, which may relate to underlying health conditions, health inequities, or other possible predispositions.

Practical tips may help prevent Valley fever in areas with high rates:

• When it is windy outside and the air is dusty, stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed. When driving through a dusty area, keep car windows closed and use recirculating air, if possible.
• Before digging, wet down soil and dirt to prevent stirring up dust into the air.
• Consider wearing a properly fitted N95 respirator (mask) if you must be in dusty air outdoors in these areas.

Music Festival Update: CDPH continues to investigate cases of Valley fever among people who attended or worked at the outdoor music festival, Lightning in a Bottle, held May 22-27, 2024 in Kern County. More than 20,000 people from several California counties, and possibly from other states and countries, attended the festival. As of August 21, 19 patients with laboratory-confirmed Valley fever who attended or worked at the festival have notified CDPH of their illness through a voluntary survey; 8 were hospitalized.

People who worked at or attended Lightning in a Bottle this year who think they might have become sick with Valley fever are asked to visit the CDPH Valley fever survey website to complete a voluntary survey. For patients hospitalized with severe Valley fever and who are unable to complete the survey, healthcare providers or family members can report their illness to their local health department. Attendees who didn't get sick can also complete the voluntary survey.

About Valley Fever: Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis or “cocci," usually affects the lungs and can cause prolonged respiratory symptoms like cough and chest pain, as well as lingering fatigue, tiredness, and headache. While Valley fever shares many of the same symptoms as other respiratory diseases (including COVID-19), it takes about 1-3 weeks for Valley fever symptoms to develop, and illness can last a month or more.

Laboratory tests are needed to know whether symptoms are caused by Valley fever or another illness. If you test negative for COVID-19, have respiratory symptoms that last more than a week, and live in or have recently traveled to an area where Valley fever is more common, you should talk to a doctor about Valley fever.

For additional information on Valley fever, please visit CDPH's Valley fever website.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPA/Pages/NR24-22.aspx

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.kqed.org/news/12002977/v...ore-are-likely

Valley Fever Cases Linked to California Music Festival Nearly Quadruple, and More Are Likely
Katie DeBenedetti
Sep 4

Updated 1:50 p.m. Wednesday

After a handful of people initially reported getting valley fever at a Kern County music festival in May, California public health officials say the number of cases linked to the event nearly quadrupled in a month.

In late July, the California Department of Public Health announced that five attendees of Lightning in a Bottle tested positive, and three were hospitalized with symptoms. Last week, the department said that as of Aug. 21, the number of confirmed cases linked to the festival is at least 19, including eight hospitalizations.

The actual number of people infected is likely higher since valley fever symptoms — cough, fever, chest pain and fatigue — can be confused with other common respiratory infections and COVID-19.

Valley fever is not contagious from person to person but infects people and animals who breathe in dust or dirt that contains fungal spores of coccidioides, or “cocci.” When this dust is blown up into the air, people in the area can inhale the cocci spores, which can infect the lungs.

State officials have warned that valley fever is on the rise this year and being reported outside the Central Valley and Central Coast areas where it is traditionally most common. A music festival is somewhat of a perfect storm for the infection — dancing kicks loose dust containing the soil-dwelling fungus, and singing festival-goers breathe in the spores.

More than 20,000 people traveled from across the state and beyond to attend Lightning in a Bottle between May 22 and 27. Health officials are continuing to investigate the cases linked to the festival.

Following news stories about the cases, multiple Reddit users discussing the festival reported feeling sick, and some say that getting a test for the infection has been difficult.

Lightning in a Bottle organizers told KQED that health and safety are a primary concern and that the festival adheres to guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDPH and local authorities...