Valley fever reported in attendees of 'Lightning in a Bottle' music festival

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) reports investigating cases of Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, that occurred among people who traveled through Kern County, California, to attend the outdoor music festival, Lightning in a Bottle.

The festival was held May 22-27 at Buena Vista Lake, near the city of Bakersfield. More than 20,000 people from several California counties and possibly from other states and countries attended the festival. 

Image/CDC

To date, CDPH has identified five patients with Valley fever who attended the festival; three were hospitalized. Ad​ditional cases linked to attendance at the outdoor festival are possible.  ​

CDPH recommends that people who visited Kern County and are experiencing respiratory infection symptoms that have not improved or are lasting longer than a week should visit a healthcare provider and ask about possible Valley fever. Respiratory infection symptoms include cough, fever, fatigue, difficulty breathing, and chest pain. Be sure to mention attendance at the music festival or travel to Kern County where Valley fever is common. 

California reports record number of Valley fever cases in 2023 

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. Valley fever is not contagious, meaning it cannot spread from one person or animal to another. Past outbreaks of Valley fever have been associated with exposure to dust and dirt at outdoor events and jobsites where dirt was being disturbed in areas of California where Valley fever is common. 

Valley fever is on the rise in California, with particularly high numbers of cases reported in 2023 and 2024 and is most comm​on in the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast areas of California.