Valley fever cases on the rise in San Luis Obispo County
April 8, 2025
By KAREN VELIE
More San Luis Obispo County residents were diagnosed with Valley Fever in 2024 than any previous year on record, with 482 cases reported to the Public Health Department during the calendar year. This is nearly double the 244 cases reported in 2023 and greater than the previous highest count of 445 cases in 2017.
The disease is spread by a fungus that grows naturally in portions of Arizona and California. In the past, most cases of Valley Fever were found in the Central Valley.
Most people who breathe in the spores develop no symptoms at all. Others, about 40%, develop flu-like symptoms including cough, congestion, fever, fatigue, body aches and headaches that can last a month or more. Valley Fever can lead to severe pneumonia, meningitis and death.
The Mayo Clinic’s website advises people in areas with the spores to be aware of the symptoms. With treatment at the first sign of symptoms, most people will recover without problems.
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