Source: dailymail.co.uk

A life-threatening fungal illness is rapidly spreading throughout central California, health officials say.

The number of Valley Fever cases rose eight percent in 2018 from the previous year – up to more than 8,100 from more than 7,500, according to a report released by the California Department of Public Health last week.

The increase from 2016, when cases totaled around 5,700, was even more shocking – an sharp spike of 42 percent.</p

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Kern County, which is about 133 miles from Los Angeles, was hit the hardest by far, documenting a little more than 3.000 cases – up 23 percent from 2017 and 48 percent from 2016.

Nine deaths were recorded in the county in 2017, which is the highest number in more than a decade, reported SFGATE.

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