California Department of Health Warns of Valley Fever Outbreak From Music Festival

The California Department of Public Health has identified five cases of Valley fever linked to an outdoor music festival in Kern County near Bakersfield, officials said on July 29.  Five people who attended the Lightning in a Bottle music festival at Buena Vista Lake May 22–27 came down with the disease and three of those patients were hospitalized, health department officials said.   Valley fever is caused by a fungus that grows in the dirt and soil in several areas of California, according to the health department. It is not contagious and can’t be spread from person-to-person contact.   Most people exposed to the fungus do not develop Valley fever. But when they do, the fungus can infect the lungs and cause respiratory symptoms including cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and tiredness or fatigue, officials said.  In severe cases, the fungus can spread to other parts of the body, according to the health department.  ...