On Oct. 5, 2022, researchers at UC Berkeley reported that coccidioidomycosisﾗalso known as Valley feverﾗan infectious disease, was taking an increasing toll on the health of Californians and people living throughout the Southwest.

The study was published in Lancet Planetary Health. The researchers discovered a pronounced role of Californiaﾒs recent droughts in driving the transmission of the pathogen in the state.