1 year ago
32
FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The Fresno County Department of Public Health wants to punctual radical of the dangers of Valley fever arsenic reported cases emergence successful the Central Valley, though galore are inactive unaware of what it truly is.
According to the FCDPH Valley fever, besides known arsenic coccidioidomycosis, is simply a illness caused by a fungus that grows successful the ungraded and ungraded successful immoderate areas of California and the southwestern United States.
People tin get sick erstwhile they respire successful particulate that contains the Valley fever fungus, peculiarly erstwhile it is adust and windy.
While the FCDPH says astir radical infected with Valley fever person nary symptoms, the fungus tin infect the lungs and origin respiratory symptoms.
Such as;
- Cough
- Difficulty breathing
- Fever
- And fatigue
In uncommon cases, Valley fever tin origin terrible corruption successful the lungs oregon successful different parts of the body, the FCDPH says Valley fever has been linked to astir 200 deaths each twelvemonth from 1999 to 2021.
The FCDPH says Valley fever continues to beryllium a wellness situation successful Fresno County with cases rising done the years.
In 2022 the California Health Department reported 448 Valley fever cases, that fig jumped by astir 200 successful 2023, and is connected way to being surpassed this year.
Western Fresno County, including the communities of Firebaugh, Mendota, Kerman, Coalinga, and Huron, is considered by officials to beryllium a Valley fever endemic area.
Officials accidental portion anyone exposed to the fungus tin declaration the illness radical surviving oregon moving successful the aforementioned areas are astatine accrued hazard of becoming infected with Valley fever.
Other astatine hazard groups according to the FCDPH include;
- People who are Black oregon Filipino
- People who are diabetic
- Adults implicit 60
- Pregnant people
- And those who are immune compromised
Officials accidental anyone who meets the criteria tin mitigate their hazard of contracting Valley fever by staying indoors and closing windows and doors during times of accrued dusty winds.
You whitethorn besides privation to;
- Consider wearing a decently fitted N95 disguise erstwhile doing activities that impact vulnerability to particulate including gait work, gardening, and digging, successful adust soil
- Wear N95 masks if you're moving outdoors oregon it is indispensable to beryllium successful oregon adjacent a dusty area, specified arsenic a operation zone
- Clean tegument wounds good with soap and water, particularly if they person been exposed to ungraded oregon dust
- And bedewed the ungraded earlier digging to forestall stirring up particulate into the air
For much accusation connected Valley fever you tin sojourn www.cdc.gov/valley-fever.
