Five confirmed cases of Valley Fever possibly linked to Lightning in a Bottle festival

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — (UPDATED: 10:22 p.m.):

Kern County is one of the many places in California that sees a rise in Valley Fever cases.

For the most part, cases are seen during the dry season, which is why additional cases were found during the annual Lightning in a Bottle Music Festival back in May.

According to the CA Department of Public Health, five people from the festival tested for Valley Fever – three of which were hospitalized.

Kimberly Hernandez from Kern County Public Health said it’s common for people to get exposed to it when there’s dirt and dust, like how it was for the outdoor festival.

“The Valley Fever that lives in the ground, that lives in the soil, it can get kicked up into the air if you are moving soil, especially if it’s windy or dusty, and if people breathe in those spores, those spores can get into your lungs, they can take root in there, and that’s how people get sick,” said Hernandez.

Even though it’s not contagious, Hernandez said people can be in the same location and have similar exposure.

More than 20,000 people attended this year’s festival at Buena Vista Lake which is mostly surrounded by water and lots of dust.

“The Valley Fever fungus likes very dry, arid conditions and we have sort of a perfect climate and soil type for it to grow in Kern County,” she added.

Public Health said more than 3,000 cases were found last year.

Halfway into 2024, Kern County is on track to exceed those numbers with 1,841 cases as of June.

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The California Department of Health is advising those who attended Lightning in a Bottle and is experiencing respiratory symptoms to see a healthcare provider after five people who went to the festival were confirmed with Valley fever.

The festival was held from May 22 to 27 at Buena Vista Lake, with more than 20,000 people attending.

CDPH has identified five people with Valley fever who attended the festival, with three of them hospitalized.

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

SEE ALSO: Lightning in a Bottle: Kern County strikes fun with a festival like no other

According to the press release from CA Public Health, Valley fever is not contagious, meaning it cannot spread from one person or animal to another.

CDPH said Valley fever is an infectious disease caused by the Coccidioides fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California. “While most people exposed to this fungus do not develop Valley fever, the fungus can infect the lungs and cause respiratory symptoms, including cough, difficulty breathing, fever, and tiredness or fatigue. In rare cases, the Valley fever fungus can spread to other parts of the body and cause severe disease.”

CDPH requests that healthcare providers evaluating patients with respiratory or other symptoms compatible with Valley fever ask about travel and consider Valley fever testing in patients who reported attendance.

CDPH said local and state health departments should notify CDPH of Valley fever cases among attendees of this music festival.

For additional information on Valley fever, click here.

Representatives of Lightning in a Bottle released a statement to Eyewitness News saying:

“The California health department has recently made us aware that they are expecting 7000-9000 cases of Valley fever across the state this year, with 5400 already confirmed, signaling a large increase in 2024 cases due to wet weather.

This week they reported that 5 cases may have been linked to this year’s event as part of their California’s Valley fever Awareness Month campaign.

We prioritize the health and safety of all our patrons and are in communication with the California Department of Public Health and Kern County Public Health Department to learn more about Valley fever and any preventative measures we can take to reduce Valley fever risk for future festival events, and to make information available to this year’s attendees.”